# Devil's-bit Scabious (*Succisa pratensis*) Devil's-bit Scabious is a pretty purple flower that grows in meadows and grasslands. Its unique name comes from its flat, devil-like root that looks like it has been bitten off! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Devil's-bit Scabious](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Succisa_pratensis_sl6.jpg&width=800) Photo: Stefan.lefnaer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Succisa_pratensis_sl6.jpg) ## Appearance The Devil's-bit Scabious has distinctive, domed flower heads, typically purplish-blue and resembling a pincushion, atop slender, often unbranched stems. Its oval to lance-shaped leaves form a basal rosette, with smaller, opposite leaves higher up the stem, making it easily identifiable in damp grasslands. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Dipsacales - **Family:** Caprifoliaceae - **Genus:** Succisa ## Interesting facts - Ancient folklore said carrying a Devil's-bit root could protect you from bad luck and evil spells! - Before clocks, people used these flowers to predict rain; if the petals closed, rain was on its way! - Its short root looks like it's been bitten off by the Devil, giving the plant its spooky name! - The pretty purple flowers are a vital food source for the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly caterpillars! ## Special abilities - **Wetland Survivor:** Devil's-bit Scabious can thrive in waterlogged, nutrient-poor soils, allowing it to grow where other plants struggle to survive. - **Root Regeneration:** Devil's-bit Scabious has a unique, stubby rootstock that regrows yearly, helping it persist as a perennial plant. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-80 cm - **Spread:** 20-50 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to autumn - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Marsh Fritillary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/marsh-fritillary) (*Euphydryas aurinia*) — larvae feed on its leaves - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Pollinates:** Common Carder Bee (*Bombus pascuorum*) — gathers nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Red Admiral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-admiral) (*Vanessa atalanta*) — sips nectar from blooms ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Devil's-bit Scabious? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Devil's-bit Scabious? 15-80 cm ### How wide does Devil's-bit Scabious spread? 20-50 cm ### How big are the flowers on Devil's-bit Scabious? 1.5-2.5 cm ### When does Devil's-bit Scabious bloom? Late summer to autumn ### Is Devil's-bit Scabious edible? Yes ### Is Devil's-bit Scabious toxic? None ### What is Devil's-bit Scabious's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Biosphärengebiet Schwäbische Alb](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/biospharengebiet-schwabische-alb) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park - [Botanischer Garten Frankfurt am Main](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/botanischer-garten-frankfurt-am-main) — Hessen, DE · Park ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Devil's-bit Scabious: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/devils-bit-scabious)