Devil's Claw

Now often referred to as Physoplexis comosa, but still widely known as Phyteuma comosum in horticultural circles, this is one of the most bizarre and iconic of all alpine plants. It is a deciduous perennial that grows from a thick, fleshy taproot. It produces small, dark-green, heart-shaped leaves on very short stems. In midsummer, it bears unique, globular flower heads of pale lilac to deep purple, where each individual flower is shaped like a curved claw or a flask with a long, projecting style. This plant is a true crevice dweller, found in the wild growing in tight limestone fissures in the Southern Alps. In the UK, it is almost exclusively grown in troughs or in an alpine house to protect it from slugs, which find it irresistible. It requires deep, gritty soil for its taproot and a position where its crown can remain dry. It is a slow-growing, long-lived plant that is considered a masterpiece of the alpine world.fully hardy (H4).

Sun: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Sharply drained, gritty, limestone soil.

Hardiness: H4 — down to −10°C.

Flowering: Jun, Jul.