Short spikes of flowers in a remarkable shade of blue-purple. They resemble small snapdragons or sock-puppets and are an excellent source of nectar. Attractive slender leaves. Native to the mountains and meadows of China, Korea, and Siberia where it colonizes dry steppes, prairies, and open oak woods. May self-seed.
Also known as helmet flower and scute root. The flower’s genus name and several of its common names refer to the cupped shape of its calyx (the bud case that becomes the seed case). The Latin word “scutella” means "little dish." The “scute” in the common name "scute root” is from “scutum,” the Latin word for “shield," and means a protective plate such as on a turtle, crocodile, armadillo, or stegosaurus. The common names skullcap and helmet flower refer to the calyx’s resemblance to a medieval helmet. The species name, baicalensis, means “from Lake Baikal,” which is in Siberia.
Traditional Chinese herb known as "huang qin." Prefers good drainage. Blooms July–September.