Wildflower Species Data Page 9

Design By Nature - wildflowers.ie - Irish Wildflowers

Species Datapage No 9

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Species Common Name: Devil's-bit Scabious

Species Botanical Name: Succisa pratensis

Restricted to unproductive pastures and boglands. Slow-growing, where it exploits sites where other species are restricted by low soil fertility or grazing. Long-lived; Important as a food source for many insects and butterflies.

Management: Persistence in grassland: Tolerance of cutting is excellent.

A perennial plant that likes damp or moist sites. The Devil's bit plant produces a mass of purple flowers on wiry stems. Very few wildflowers attract more butterflies than the Devil's Bit Scabious which is favoured by the Tortoiseshells, Admirals and bees.

Tolerance of cutting: Good

Cutting time: End of Year or Spring.

Edible / Medicinal:

Life Cycle (Form): Long-lived perennial

Flower Height: Flowers to 30cm

Foliage Height: Leaves to 5cm

Flower Colour: Purple/Blue

Flowering period: August - October

Time to Flower: 2/3 years

Soil Type: Peat, Clay

pH Type: 3-4.5 4,5-6

Moisture: Dry moist wet saturated

Aspect: Any, Cold to warm

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Species Common Name: Eyebright

Species Botanical Name: Euphrasia artica

This is a difficult specs to establish. If you get it growing you have one of the very best and most beautiful flowers of the countryside, its small and hides amongst the grasses but you cant miss it

Eyebright is a hemiparasite species. It grows on the roots of bent grasses, clovers and others that it can feed off.

At DBN we think every lawn should have this weed, as like other hemiparasite species it restricts the growth of grass, essential in any wildflower meadow.

Management: Moderate persistence in peaty grassland. Keep fertility poor,

Tolerance of cutting: None, except end of season management

Cutting time: None

Edible / Medicinal: Very Medicinal. Eyewash

Life Cycle (Form): Annual

Flower Height: 8 to 15 cm

Foliage Height: 3 - 5 cm

Flower Colour: White with yellow and purple

Flowering period: July,

Time to Flower: 12 months

Soil Type: Most, best in meadow conditions and neutral loam soil.

pH Type: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline