Succisa pratensis

Succisa pratensis, also known as the Meadow Clary, is a wild species, widespread in moist or wet environments in temperate regions of Europe and Siberia. It is a rhizomatous perennial that takes some time to establish but has a long flowering period of airy flowers. It forms a rosette of long, entire, glossy, medium green basal leaves and produces thin, well-branched, hairy stems bearing small violet flowers in spiky clusters. This nectar-rich perennial will attract pollinators to vegetable gardens and orchards. Very hardy and robust in moist, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade, it will self-sow without becoming invasive.

Succisa pratens is hardy down to -20°C (-4°F), native to North Africa, Europe, and Western Asia. It is also known as Devil's bit due to its short and oddly truncated rhizomes. This plant belongs to the Dispacaceae (or Caprifoliaceae) family and naturally grows in moist soils, meadows, moist woodland edges, ditches, and field margins. It forms a basal rosette of long, entire, oval, elliptical, smooth leaves 30 cm (12in) long. From July to October, it produces very tall, slender, well-branched, sparsely leafy, slightly hairy, light green flower stems which bear solitary, fragrant flowers that resemble scabiosa and knautia flowers. The flowers form 2 to 3 cm (1in) violet domes, occasionally white or pink, with prominent stamens. They are very attractive to various pollinating insects and also host the caterpillars of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly! This is a slow-spreading perennial that forms a clump 60 cm (24in) in all directions in all types of moist, well-drained soils.

Meadow Clary will self-sow without becoming invasive. It is stunning in borders and natural meadows, alongside other thistles or tall perennials like hybrid mulleins or Cephalaria gigantea, giant grasses (Panicum virgatum, Miscanthus sinensis), hollyhocks, or poppies.