MHG Volunteer Blog 33: Devil's Bit Scabious

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

A chilly start to the day. That didn’t deter the many visitors this Monday! During the regular weeding, Carole spoke to an American who was visiting the castle. They were interested due to Pontefract Castle's connection to the Pilgrimage of Grace in the 1500s. Carole later spoke to a family from Perth, Western Australia and a delightful couple from Malta. They were in the UK to attend the Coldplay concert in Hull.

Later, a lady from Liverpool joined Carole and learned how to take cuttings from the castle’s pink mophead hydrangeas. She successfully prepared six for the castle, to sell next year, and one to take home.

A pink mop hydrangea at the castle

Afterwards, Helen showed Caroline and Louis the same procedure. They were similarly rewarded with their own cuttings.

Plant of the week - Devil's Bit Scabious (Succisa praensis)

The name of the plant commonly known as devil's bit scabious has been changed from 'Scabiosa succisa' to 'Succisa pratensis'. This reflects the change in classification. 'Succisa pratensis' is now recognized as the only species within the genus 'Succisa'. 'Scabiosa' is a separate, related genus within the honeysuckle family.

The word 'scabies' comes from the Latin word for 'scratch' ('scabere').

In folktales, the black root was short because it had been bitten off by the Devil. He was angry at the plant's ability to cure diseases – hence the name. Its other names are blue ball, blue bonnets and blue buttons.

Devil's bit scabious is native to the British Isles and Europe. It is a clump-forming, spreading, herbaceous perennial. It prefers moist but well-drained soil, in full-sun to partial shade in any aspect but north-facing.

Devil's bit scabious growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

It flowers to a height of 3 ft with a spread of up to 18 inches. The flowers appear between July and October. They are borne on top of hairy, little-branched stems. The stems rise from a basal rosette of simple or distantly-toothed, lanceolate leaves.

The flowers are bluish to violet. They are in tight compound flower heads up to 1 inch across. Individual flowers are tetramerous, having four petals, four sepals (calyx), and a four-lobed epicalyx. Male and female flowers are produced on different flower heads. The female flower heads are smaller than the male flowers. The plant's anthers are large and borne upon filaments or threads. These are also almost as long as the petals.

In the first year of the plant's life the root is like a small carrot in shape. The lower part becomes woody and dies away. This gives the root a gnawed or bitten appearance. The root that remains throws out lateral roots. These compensate for the portion that has died.

Culinary uses of Devil's bit scabious

The plant is not typically classified as being edible. However, its young shoots and leaves can be eaten. They have a slightly bitter aftertaste, so probably not your new favourite snack.

Folklore and other facts about Devil's bit scabious

Due to the story of the Devil's anger over the plant's abilities to cure people, the devil's bit scabious has been associated with jealousy.

In some traditions, the plant is believed to offer protection from witchcraft.

A Cornish legend warns that picking devil's bit scabious will lead to the Devil appearing at your bedside that very night.

The flowers are frequented by hoverflies of the genus Eristalis. It is a good source of nectar. It is the larval food plant of the marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), and the narrow-bordered bee hawk-moth (Hemaris tityus).

The flowers are galled by the gall midge Contarinia dipsacearum. The leaves are eaten the triozid bug Trioza munda, and the roots by the nematode Meloidogyne hapla. The leaves are parasitised by the chytrid fungus Synchytrium succisae, the powdery mildew Erysiphe knautiae, the rust fungus Aecidium succisae, and the leaf spot fungi Fusicladium consors, Ramularia succisae, Septoria succisicola, and Septoria scabiosicola.

The flowers are parasitised by the smut fungi Microbotryum succisae and Microbotryum flosculorum. They're also affected by the downy mildew Peronospora violacea.

Fortunately, so far, these lovely plants in the MHG seem to have avoided being troubled by all of the above!

Medieval uses of Devil's bit scabious*

According to the herbalist John Gerard (1597):

"The greater part of the root seemeth to be bitten away; old fantastick charmers report that the divel did bite it for envie, because it is an herbe that hath so many good vertues and it is so beneficial to mankinde."

Traditionally, devil’s bit scabious was used to treat scabies, skin conditions, fevers, and coughs. It was supposedly very powerful against the plague and all pestilential diseases. It also treated fevers and poison, and the bites of venomous creatures.  

It was associated with various medicinal properties. These included being able to expel parasitic worms, being a cleanser and promoting urination.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.