The Pasque Flower – Dane’s Blood!

pasque flowerPulsatilla Vulgaris is the rather uninspiring name for the bright purple and yellow flower featured on our cover this month. It’s more commonly known as Pasque Flower and, rather more excitingly, as Dane’s Blood.

The Pasque Flower is the county flower of Hertfordshire and it blooms in late March / early May on the well drained chalky soil of Church Hill on Therfield Heath. Its name means “like Paschal” or of Easter and legend tells that it springs from the blood of dead Vikings! This fable may well have developed as it grows in the undisturbed soil of ancient barrows – like the ones that can be found on the our very own rolling heath land. This site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Local Nature reserve and one of the largest colonies of this rare plant.

Why not venture out to see them and follow this walk printed with kind permission of Great Shelford Parish Council? and pop into the Fox and Duck at Therfield for a pint or bite to eat.