Large pasque flower

Here in the Leiser Berge Nature Park, pasque flowers are already in bloom in March.

The plant prefers sunny, calcareous nutrient-poor grasslands, rocky dry grasslands, dry slopes and open pine forests.

It is particularly common on well-drained, nutrient-poor soils and shows a high degree of adaptability to extreme climatic conditions such as drought, cold or wind.

The pasque flower is characterised by its bell-shaped, purple flowers, which are covered in fine, silvery hairs.

The pinnate leaves only appear after flowering in March. This plant reaches a height of about 10–15 cm, but its striking flowers make it visible from a distance.

The large pasque flower is found mainly in Central and South-Eastern Europe. In Austria, it is most commonly found in the Pannonian region, including Lower Austria and Burgenland, where it thrives in near-natural habitats.

Due to habitat loss resulting from intensified farming, scrub encroachment and recreational use, the greater pasque flower is endangered in Austria and is a protected species.

As a member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), the greater pasque flower is poisonous to both humans and animals when fresh.

In the past, it was used as a medicinal plant when dried, but today it is strictly protected.