Bupleurum falcatum

Bupleurum falcatum, also known as Sickle-leaved Hare's Ear, is a beautiful perennial medicinal plant naturally found in the limestone or stony soils. While not spectacular, this umbellifer has the charm and robustness of wild plants. With its delicate umbels of small yellow flowers that appear throughout the summer, it is  perfectly suited for rock gardens, dry gardens, rustic borders, along with Knautia or nigellas, for example.

Bupleurum falcatum is a plant belonging to the Apiaceae family, formerly known as Umbelliferae due to their umbel inflorescences. This family includes many vegetable plants such as carrots, parsley, fennel, celery, parsnip, as well as many ornamentals such as angelicas, musk chervil, or antriscus. This bupleurum thrives in the wild on limestone slopes and poor soils along neglected roadsides where many other plants do not grow. Its distribution range includes Europe as well as western and northern Asia.
It is a deciduous herbaceous plant, perennial from its stump, with above-ground growth emerging in spring and disappearing in winter. Measuring 50 to 80 cm (20 to 32in) in height, it has an upright tufted habit with spreading branches. The plant's angular stems are hollow and bear small leaves shaped like sickles, with only one prominent vein in the middle. They are a very bright, slightly acidic green. From July to October, the plant produces a cloud of small umbels which are bright yellow flowers that are and highly attractive to insects.

Bupleurum falcatum prefers limestone soils and tolerates drought well. It is a good plant for slightly wild gardens, large sunny rock gardens, stony slopes, etc. If the conditions are right, the plant can self-seed, giving long and cheerful flowering in dry borders. This perennial pairs well with other unassuming plants such as Euphorbia characias, Agastache Kudos Gold, Cupidone bleue, nigellas, perennial flax, or grasses like Stipa pulcherrima and Bouteloua gracilis.