We harvest our Devils-bit Scabious seeds by hand, from the edges of our woods and fields at farnell farm, and then dry them to correct moisture level, as directed by the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakefield Place. They are sealed into special silver foil seed packs, which store the seeds for longevity. We only gather a small amount of seed for sale so our stocks remain sustainable.

The Wild Devils-Bit Scabious (Succisa Pratensis)

It gets its name from folklore. The devil was angry that the plant could cure so many ills, he bit the end of its roots off, but even that did not stop it doing good. The devils-bit scabious is a perennial wild flower of the damp meadows and woodland edges of the British Isles. It's a member of the Teasel family. The flowers have a colour that ranges from violet to light blue and flower from June to October. They have long stems and grow up to a metre in height with few leaves. They are an important scouce of nectar and are host to the caterpillars of the rare marsh fritillary butterfly. In the 17 century Nicholas Culpepper prescribed its root as an ointment for the cure of wounds, swollen throats, snake-bite and the plague.

Plant the seeds from late June to early September. Because the seeds of the Scabious are so delicate they are best planted in a small seed tray in a mixture of peat and sharp sand and kept damp. Plant out in there final position in the autumn to flower the following summer. In a damp semi shaded position.

Each foil seed packet contains approximately 1 gram of seeds.

Order by post

Send a cheque payable to Farnell Farm, stating the number of boxes required, the delivery address and your contact details, to the following address: Farnell Farm, Sandhurst Lane, Rolvenden, Kent, TN17 4PH.