Adonis aestivalis
Summer pheasant's eye, blood-drop flower, partridge's eye, quail rose: mythology tells that these scarlet flowers sprang from the blood of Adonis, mortally wounded by a boar—hence its name and that of “blood-drop flower.” Once a cornfield flower and now rare in our countryside, it deserves a place in the garden.
Characteristics:
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Brilliant red: small scarlet flowers with black centers, creating a striking contrast in summer.
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Finely divided foliage: airy and almost feathery, it highlights the flowers.
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Hardy: an annual that tolerates poor soils and dry summers.
Precautions:
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All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested: adonis contains cardiac glycosides, like its relative hellebore. Do not consume it in any form, and keep the seeds out of reach of children and pets.
- Avoid planting it in pasture: it is also toxic to livestock.
Sowing advice:
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Exposure: full sun, essential for abundant flowering.
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Soil: light, well-drained, ordinary to poor, preferably alkaline—it is a cornfield plant accustomed to cultivated soils. No fertilization: it performs best in lean soil and dislikes standing moisture.
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Method: preferably sow in place in autumn, allowing winter cold to break dormancy—this is the key to good germination. Otherwise, apply cold stratification before spring sowing. Cover lightly: the seeds germinate better in darkness.
Care advice:
- Almost none. Thin to 20 cm and let a few plants go to seed for self-sowing.
Beneficial combinations:
Benefits for biodiversity:
- It belongs to the group of cornfield flowers that have declined sharply since the widespread use of herbicides: sowing it directly contributes to their preservation.
- Its open flowers provide accessible pollen for bees and hoverflies in midsummer.
Uses:
- Strictly ornamental: borders, beds, wildflower gardens, and flowering meadows. Its flowers last well in bouquets; handle them with hands washed afterward.
Symbolism:
Born from the blood of Adonis according to Greek mythology, it symbolizes the painful remembrance and fleeting beauty of youth.
Harvesting your own seeds:
Let a few flowers develop their bristly seed heads, then harvest them once they are brown and dry. Sow them promptly: their germination capacity declines quickly. Clearly label the packet because of their toxicity. See storing your seeds.
Commitment to Quality: at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for living things as our guiding principle. Based near the Auvergne volcanoes, we choose reproducible, non-hybrid varieties, tested for their germination rate, carefully sorted and packaged, with no chemical treatment. Our belief: to give gardeners back the ability to resow, year after year, seeds that truly belong to them.
Sow a once-common cornfield flower that has become rare, glowing red in midsummer.
