Devilsbit Scabious

Description

Species of scabious were used to treat scabies, and other afflictions of the skin including sores caused by the Bubonic Plague. The word scabies comes from the Latin word for “scratch” (scabere). The short black root was in folk tales bitten off by the devil, angry at the plant’s ability to cure these ailments. Blue dye can be made out of the leaves and flowers. Devil’s-Bit Scabious is also a great source of nectar for bees, can be found in damp meadows, and blooms well into late summer.