Wildflowers UK, bringing the British Countryside to you.

Perfect for pollinators

Devil’s Bit Scabious -succisa pratensis– is well suited to a variety of soils but tends to grow best in damp areas in sun or semi shade. The unusual name comes from the fact that Devil’s Bit Scabious has a shallow root, ending very sharply, and in folklore, there is a tale suggesting the root was bitten off by the devil, who was jealous of the plants qualities !. This is an excellent plant for drawing in insects especially bees, and butterflies, and after flowering, birds will visit the seed heads. In the wild, Devil’s Bit Scabious also plays host to the Marsh fritillary, as a breeding butterfly. Plants typically grows to about 3 foot in height and produce masses of rich purple flower heads late in the season from July to September. Devil’s Bit Scabious looks best growing with other wetland plants that flower in late summer such as Hemp Agrimony, Meadow-sweet, Purple loosestrife, and Common Fleabane. .

How to grow Devil’s Bit Scabious Seeds
Devil’s Bit Scabious seeds are best sown in early spring, either outside, where they are to flower, or in seed trays and covered lightly with compost. Devil’s Bit Scabious seeds are often slow to germinate. The seedlings, which are quick to develop, can be pricked out and grown on, for planting out later in the year.

RHS Perfect for Pollinators.
The RHS Perfect for Pollinators mark is only given to plants that support pollinating insects in gardens. Bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and many others visit flowers to feed on nectar and pollen; while doing so they transfer pollen and increase seed set
and fruit development. Find out more at: rhs.org.uk/plants

To discover more plants for Bees, simply enter the word "pollinators" into the search box above.


To buy Devil’s Bit Scabious seeds
To purchase Devil’s Bit Scabious seeds, please select a quantity above and click add to cart. To ensure the best chance of success, we sell all of our wildflower seeds by weight, which ensures each wildflower seed packet contains a good quantity of seeds. The recommended sowing rate is 1 gram per square metre, and the number of Devil’s Bit Scabious seeds per gram is approx. 600. All of our Wildflower seed packets contain seeds of Native British provenance.


Summary
type - perennial,
colour - Purple, height - 75 to 100cms,
flowers June, July, August, September,
habitat - Very Wet Grassland (eg pond edges, Water Meadow), Moist Grassland (Clay, Loams), Very Acidic Soil (Peats, Heaths),
Caterpillar Food Plant, Attracts Butterflies and bees