Fessia Hohenackeri

Fessia hohenackeri, formerly known as Scilla hohenackeri, is a compact spring bulb from the Talysh Mountains and adjoining parts of the Transcaucasus. Neat linear leaves emerge with short racemes of mid lilac-blue, starry to bell-shaped flowers, their pale blue anthers adding delicate close-up detail. It grows naturally in woodland and shaded rock crevices, then retreats underground for summer. Hardy but seldom seen, it is an excellent collector’s bulb for a trough, alpine house or sheltered rock garden with spring moisture and a dry, well-ventilated rest.