Plant of the Week: Pulsatilla patens

Plant of the Week! The Silkie Bantam of the plant world, Pulsatilla patens, Eastern Pasqueflower, is short in stature and has downy hairs covering its leaves, flowers, and seed heads (shown here). The plant will start blooming right around now (the common name refers to its Easter bloom time; “pascal” is Latin for Easter), but once the flowers are gone, the beautiful, feathery seedheads continue to provide unique interest. Pasqueflower’s natural habitat includes rocky savannas and and dry upland prairies. It is a wonderful choice for a rock or crevice garden. Just make sure not to plant tall plants among it, which will aesthetically and literally shade it out!