This is a pretty yellow flower found in traditional hay meadows throughout Northern Europe. Because many fields are cut/grazed in May and June this plant is not commonly found anymore. The plant is a sought-after species for conservationists who try to encourage colonisation and promote bio diversity to meadows. Its preferred habitat is dry fields or meadows, where its flowering period is between June and September.

Other common names, Cock's Comb, Hay Rattle, Shackle Bags.

Food plant of the caterpillars of the Grass Rivulet moth.

see wikipedia for a good description.

This seed is not viable over a long period and germinates in early March. We recommend sowing this in August or October. After grazing up till march will be the prefered option of a mow and remove around November time. It will need to over winter in the sward and will start to grow in late February to be ahead of the competition.

For this reason we recommend buying direct off the field.

It is semiparasitic on the other plants, mainly grass, and restricts thier growth. This allows for the wild flowers to become established. It needs to be left uncut till it naturally sets seed again in the following July as it is an annual. The longer it can be left the better. The seed will then need to be knocked out (by wind, hand or machinery) of the plant to propagate itself for the following year. Once established it will self seed readily you will have a better chance of success with other wild flower seeds.

It is advisable to keep stock off these fields from March till August as this is an annual and will be wiped out in one season with mismanagement.

We have sown this direct into Ryegrass mix and it has flourished well. It needs grass to grow and will not grow where there is no grass like woodland.