Pulsatilla Vulgaris-Pasque Flower

One of my favorite early Spring flowers! The pulsatilla, or Pasque flower. The name Pasque relates to the time of year that is blooms in early Spring and Easter. Though these were taken on Apil 29, much later than the holiday of Easter due to our snows. From Wikipedia: "The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower (or pasqueflower), wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone. Several species are valued ornamentals because of their finely-dissected leaves, solitary bell-shaped flowers, and plumed seed heads. The showy part of the flower consists of sepals, not petals." My favorite part of this plant is how fuzzy and soft it is...it is as soft as it looks! And the blossoms last for a long time. Even after they are finished, these flowers leave interesting seed pods behind. A very special plant indeed. If you are hiking in the mountains and foothills here in Colorado, they cover the hillsides in the Spring as a native plant. Keep your eyes out for this unique Spring plant.