Quick Characteristics:
| Height: | 10-45 cm (0.3-1.5 ft) |
| Flower Colors: | white, pink, purple |
| Flower Season: | mid spring |
| Life form: | rhizome |
Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill. is a common subalpine species native to middle and northern Europe, reaching up to 1000 m. It prefers dryish, southern slopes on calcareous soil. In the wild, the flowers open up closely above the ground, but will push up their furry seedheads above the rising grass by the end of May to allow for wind dispersal of the winged seeds, after which the plant retreats from above ground. Photos in habitat are taken by Martin Bohnet on the Swabian Jura, Southern Germany.
Horticultural varieties, possibly with some hybrid influences and due to less exposure to wind, tend to reach 20 cm when in flower and mostly keep their leaves until autumn. Color forms available include pink/reddish and white cultivars in addition to the most common purple.
