Cerinthe glabra

Cerinthe glabra is from montane flora, which is quite rare in cultivation. Despite not being spectacular, this perennial has an unusual appearance, firstly due to its yellow and purple flowering adorned with green bracts, and secondly because of its glaucous foliage spotted with lighter circles, reminiscent of lungworts. It doesn't live for many years, but it self-seeds generously. It can be acclimatised in a shady rockery, or on a well-drained and humus-rich slope which remains slightly moist in summer.

Cerinthe glabra, sometimes called glabrous honeywort, belongs to the family of Boraginaceae, like borage and forget-me-nots. It is a species native to central Europe, more precisely from a mountainous region located east of the Black Sea and in the southwest of the Caucasus. It is a very hardy plant with a short life span, which appreciates humus on moist limestone rocks. Its thick, blackish stump produces ascending or spreading stems, forming a beautiful bluish-green tuft of about 40-50 cm (16-20in) in all directions. The basal leaves are arranged in a rosette, with a glaucous lamina speckled with white. Those on the stems lack stalks and are clasping. Flowering takes place from May-June to August, depending on the climate. The flowers, quite small and urn-shaped, are light lemon yellow with a purple circle, surrounded by almond green bracts. These flowers, grouped in clusters, are nectar-rich. After pollination seeds are formed which easily germinate in cool and light soil. The foliage is annual, absent in winter. The root of this plant, a taproot, does not like to be disturbed.

This Cerinthe will delight enthusiasts of native plants and curiosities. Well adapted to mountain gardens, where it naturalises, it can also be adopted in meadows, in a slightly shaded rockery, or in a pot. Its cut flowers are charming in a bouquet - for this, immerse the stems in warm water. Small spring bulbs (hyacinths, grape hyacinths, spring crocuses, snowdrops, liverworts) can be planted alongside it, as well as hellebores and Carex.