Plant of the week

PURPLE TOOTHWORT, LATHRAEA CLANDESTINA

HERE’S a freakish thing — a leafless parasite. From a distance, these pretty spring flowers resemble rosy crocuses. But close up, each stemless flower looks like a tiny hooded figure with its hands clasped. It has no leaves, so rather than photosynthesising, its roots latch onto a host plant — often a willow or alder — to suck up the nutrients needed. Though hard to establish, clumps of purple toothwort can be planted next to young roots of a suitable host. Harm to the host is negligible. I know of one supplier, avonbulbs.co.uk.