Pasque Flower Guide: How To Plant, Care For Fuzzy Purple Blue Flowers

Georgette Kilgore headshot, wearing 8 Billion Trees shirt with forest in the background.Written by Georgette Kilgore

Gardening | August 28, 2024

Woman holding a watering can while looking at the bed of Pasque Flower in her garden after learning about care tips and best growing conditions for pasque flower.

Pasque flowers, also known as Pulsatilla vulgaris, are known for their purple petals and fuzzy appearance.

These beautiful purple flowers are a great addition to your garden as they are easy to grow. Not to mention that as perennials, they can live up to fifty years.1

In this article, you’ll get to know everything you need about this beautiful plant including some interesting Pasque flower facts, planting tips for Pasque flower, and the best Pasque flower disease prevention.

Tips for Growing a Pasque Flower From a Seed, Cutting, or Seedling

In general, Pulsatilla vulgaris is an easy plant to grow that doesn’t require excessive care or attention.

Graphics of how to care for Pasque flower showing person tending to Pasque flowers in a garden with miniature daffodils, crocus, and tulips and a tree providing minimal shade.

It’s recommended you grow them from a seed, or if you are going to grow them from a seedling, that it is still early in their growth.

When To Plant a Pasqueflower

As for when to plant Pasque flower for the best yield, if you plan on planting the Pulsatilla from a seed, it’s recommended that you plant them in late fall. The seeds will overwinter and in the spring they will germinate.

If you are planting the Pulsatilla vulgaris from a flower nursery, you should plant it in the spring or early summer. The taproots of these plants are long and go deep, which is why it’s recommended not to transplant them when they are far along in their development.

Planting the Pulsatilla at the early stages will ensure you can properly transplant without dealing with or damaging the taproot. These plants do not do well with root disturbances.

If you have to transfer an already-grown Pasque plant you should cut back the large buds and flowers beforehand. In 4 weeks it should rebloom and become lush again.2

The Best Companion Plants for Growing Pasque Flower

The Pulsatilla vulgaris does well around other early spring bloomers such as miniature daffodils, crocus, and wildflower tulips.9 This mix of blooms does well at attracting native bees and honeybees.

How far apart to plant Pasque flower plants depends on what kind of landscape appearance you are looking for, but in general, for the health of the plant you should plant Pasque flowers 9”–12” apart. They can also be planted among other plants such as milkweed, which won’t grow to block the sun.

The Best Growing Conditions for Pasque Flower and the Best Pasque Flower Growing Zone

The Pulsatilla vulgaris originated from Europe and Southwestern Asia.4 The best growing zone for this plant is 4–8, which has temperature lows of 20ºF (-6.7ºC) down to -30ºF (-34.4ºC).6

It is a common plant throughout the United States but benefits from northern areas that get a chill in the winter.

The Central U.S. from Texas all the way up through Canada to Alaska are all typical growing zones for the Pulsatilla vulgaris. Where to grow the Pasque plant can depend on the soil type.

The best soil to grow the Pasqueflower in is soil that is fertile, humusy, medium moisture, gritty, and well drained.

The soil should be alkaline as the Pulsatilla vulgaris grows best in a pH of 7 to 8.7

Water Requirements for the Pulsatilla

Watering needs for the Pulsatilla vulgaris are moderate. They require regular watering once planted, and a regular schedule of once to twice a week at the base is usually enough.

A bunch of blooming Pasque flowers (Pulsatilla vulgaris) showing drooping purple flowers and feather-like leaves covered with tiny hair.

(Image: beauty_of_nature (jhenning)12)

It’s important to ensure you do not over-water or underwater these plants. Over-watering is the biggest risk as it can lead to root rot.

Sun Requirements

How much sunlight does Pasque flower need each day in order to grow? This plant should be planted and grown in areas with minimal shade.

The plant benefits from full sun and will not do well in areas with very little light. It generally needs 6 hours or more of direct sunlight a day.4

What Is a Healthy Pasque Flower Growth Rate?

How long it takes to grow the Pasque plant can obviously depend on the area they are growing in, but in general, the plant can produce up to 30 blossoms in as little as a couple of months. The blooms last in the spring for 4–6 weeks until they recede to present their fluffy seeds.8

How To Stop Pasque Flower Disease and Prevent Pests

The Pulsatilla vulgaris isn’t known for attracting many pests, but one common pest of the flower is the black beetle and, in some areas, the blister beetle, which will completely eat the flower, stem, and leaves. A natural pest control is to physically pick off the beetles and throw them in soapy water.

One other natural treatment is to spray your Pasque plant with neem oil. It can take a couple of days to take effect.

When it comes to disease, the Pasque plant suffers most from over-watering that leads to root rot. The best method of prevention is to avoid over-watering, and if you see signs of root rot, reduce the watering schedule.

Sadly, if the case of root rot is too far along, there is very little that can be done. Any disturbance to the root system of the plant can be destructive to the plant.

In general, the Pasque flower is easy to care for, and will not encounter many problems while growing.

How To Identify Pasque Flower

The Pasque plant is identified by a purple or white flower atop a stalk that has fine silky hairs, which emerge from a patch of leaves. Each plant can have 30 blossoms or more.3

Graphic of how to identify Pasque flower showing images of Pasque flower seed, Pasque flower, and Pasque flower leaf in circle frames and a full-grown Pasque plant with bloomed flowers.

The leaves at the base of the plant can grow up to 12” tall while the stems of the flowers can grow to be up to 8” tall.

Identifying Pasque Flower Leaves

The leaves of the Pulsatilla vulgaris are green and feel soft to the touch.4 The silky hairs are present on the leaf and grow in a whorled or alternate arrangement.

Leaves grow out from the ground and can reach up to 12” tall, creating patches from which the flowers emerge.

Identifying the Pasque Flower Flower

The flower of the Pasque can come in the colors white, purple/lavender, or cream/tan. There are other species like the Red Bells and Rose Bells that have red and pink flowers.

The flowers are solitary, bell-shaped, contain 5 or more petals, and can range from 1–3 inches, but are, on average, 1.5 inches big. With the blossom, the flower has yellow stamen that circles around a light green center.

Identifying Pasque Flower Seeds

The flowers of the Pasque plant are self-seeding. The seed heads of the flower are fluffy and designed to be carried away by the wind.1

You will see these seeds when the petals recede to reveal a tuft of puff. These seed heads add to the look and beauty of these flowers and are often considered an aesthetical addition to a garden or landscape.5

Interesting Facts About the Anemone pulsatilla (American Pasque Flower)

You may find that this plant goes by many names, but to break it down, the Pulsatilla vulgaris is from the Ranunculaceae family also known as the Buttercup family, and is part of the Pulsatilla genus. The full name is Pulsatilla vulgaris.

It was once considered part of the genus Anemone and is still referred to as Anemone pulsatilla.

Pasque Flower

(Pulsatilla vulgaris)

An image of a blue Pasque flowers with yellow center image in an oval frame on green background.
  • Family: Ranunculaceae
  • Genus: Pulsatilla
  • Leaf: Stalked that look similar to a fern that are furry
  • Seed: Feather-like that gets carried away by wind
  • Blossoms: Bell-shaped with 4-5 petals
  • Native Habitat: Europe, southwestern Asia
  • Type: Perennial (Herbaceous)

Pasque flower symbolism revolves mostly around religion since Pasque was, and still is, called the Easter Flower.

In fact, Pasque is the old French word for Easter. It’s the symbol of hope, nobility, rebirth, and grace, and was associated with Easter since it blooms around that period of time.

The flower’s sepals were even used as a dye for Easter eggs.2

Dangers of the Pulsatilla vulgaris

The Pulsatilla vulgaris is an herbaceous plant that was used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes. However, it’s actually deadly to humans and pets in its freshest form.

You would have to consume a lot in order to die, but consumption of any part of the plant will result in sickness, so make sure to keep it from pets and children.

Contact with the plant can also cause irritation to the skin. The Pasque flower is also tolerant to rabbits and normally attracts different types of bees.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pasque Flower

Are There Differences Between the Western Pasque Flower and Eastern Pasque Flower?

The Western species of the Pasque plant is one of the types of white flowers, so instead of purple it blooms a white flower which is typically larger than that of its eastern cousin and has leaves that are more finely divided.

What Does Pulsatilla vulgaris Mean?

Pulsatilla in the Pulsatilla vulgaris stands for “beaten”, which refers to the way in which these flowers are blown by the wind, while “vulgaris” means common. In other words, the Pasqueflower is a common variety of the Pulsatilla genus.

What Is a Perennial Flower vs an Annual Flower?

Perennial flowers belong to perennial plants, which live for at least three years. The flowers of perennials will often die when the fall and winter seasons hit and will return in the springtime in order to set seed.11 These are generally cold-hardy plants since they have to survive through the winter.


References

1Everwilde Farms. (2024). Pasque Flower Seeds. Everwilde Farms Inc. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://www.everwilde.com/store/Anemone-patens-wolfgangiana-WildFlower-Seed.html>

2Mahr, S. (2024). Pasque Flower, Pulsatilla vulgaris. Wisconsin Horticulture. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/pasque-flower-pulsatilla-vulgaris/>

3Gardenia.net. (2024). Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque Flower). Gardenia.net. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://www.gardenia.net/plant/pulsatilla-vulgaris-pasque-flower>

4N.C. Cooperative Extension. (2024). Pulsatilla vulgaris. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pulsatilla-vulgaris/>

5Stoner, N. (2024). Pasque Flower. University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Horticulture, Landscape, and Environmental Systems. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://hles.unl.edu/pasque-flower>

6Oregon State University. (2024). USDA Hardiness Zone Maps of the United States. Oregon State University Landscape Plants. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/usda-hardiness-zone-maps-united-states>

7Iowa State University. (2023, March 1). Pocket Prairie Plant Information: 2022. Iowa State University Extension. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://www.extension.iastate.edu/dubuque/files/documents/M2M%20Site%20Needs%20and%20Plant%20Selection%20revised.pdf>

8Active Interest Media. (2018, January 24). Pasque flower. Fine Gardening Magazine. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://www.finegardening.com/plant/pasque-flower-pulsatilla-vulgaris>

9Salman, D. (2024). Growing Pulsatilla: All About Pasque Flowers. High Country Gardens. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://www.highcountrygardens.com/content/perennial-plants/pulsatilla/growing-pulsatilla-pasque-flowers>

10Delmatier, C. (2016). Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens var. multifida, also known as Anemone patens var. multifida). USDA Forest Service. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/pulsatilla_patens_multifida.shtml>

11Lineberger, D., & Parsons, J. (2024). Annual, Perennial, Biennial? Wildflowers in Bloom. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from <https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/wildseed/growing/annual.html>

12Flower, Pulsatilla, Pulsatilla vulgaris Photo by beauty_of_nature (jhenning). (2023, April 19) / Pixabay Content License. Resized and changed file format. Pixabay. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from <https://pixabay.com/photos/flower-pulsatilla-7935433/>