Small Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla pratensis · Ranunculaceae
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant small pasque flower: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous, finely cut and feathery
- Flowering
- Spring (April-May)
- Adult size
- 30-50 cm in height
- Growth
- Slow
- Hardiness
- Very hardy (down to -20 °C)
- Origin
- Meadows and grasslands of central and eastern Europe
- Soil type
- Well-drained, calcareous, poor to medium
Care
Exposure
Install Pulsatilla pratensis in full sun or light partial shade to ensure generous flowering and balanced development. This plant enjoys open and well-ventilated locations. Avoid dense shade which would slow its growth.
Soil
Choose well-drained soil, slightly calcareous and rather poor: the plant fears excess moisture and excessive organic richness. Dry soil in depth is ideal. Improve drainage with gravel or sand if the ground retains water.
Watering
Water moderately after planting to establish the root system, then very sparingly under natural conditions. The plant tolerates dry periods: intervene only during prolonged drought. In winter, keep the soil dry to slightly moist.
Pruning and maintenance
No pruning is necessary. Simply remove faded flowers to extend flowering if you wish, and eliminate dead leaves at the end of winter. Respect its natural and compact growth.
Fertilizer
Do not add fertilizer: this poor-soil plant does not appreciate it and prefers lean conditions. An initial application of coarse potting soil at planting time is more than enough to meet its needs.
Diseases and pests
Pulsatilla pratensis is generally hardy against diseases. The main risk is collar rot in case of prolonged waterlogging. Ensure impeccable drainage. Pests are rare on this naturally robust wild plant.
Did you know?
Pulsatilla pratensis, called the 'Meadow Anemone' or 'Pasque flower', long served as a dye plant: its flowers produced a precious yellow-brown hue. In the Middle Ages, it was also renowned for traditional uses, but its active principles require great caution: only external and supervised use is recommended. Today, it is primarily its early beauty and wild charm that enchant gardeners of rock gardens and flowering meadows.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Stinking helleboreHelleborus foetidus
- Meadow rueThalictrum aquilegiifolium
- Christmas roseHelleborus niger
- Grecian windflowerAnemone blanda
- Lenten roseHelleborus orientalis
- Hubei AnemoneEriocapitella hupehensis
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.