Pulsatilla albana ssp. armena

I have been fortunate to grow up not far from where pasqueflowers grew abundantly in the wild. And I have seen a half dozen (or more) species growing across Eurasia and the Pacific Northwest--they often create true spectacles when growing in masses--but I have never seen a species growing with such an incredible range of variability in color as I did on May 15 in northeasternmost Armenia on montane steppe. I grow a rather bright yellow form of this very species in my garden--but now I would love to have its full range such as we experienced on this magic day!

This is a diminutive plant--much smaller than P. vulgaris, for instance. Much better suited for growing in rock gardens. I love this pale yellow phase!

They were variable in habit as well--look at these long peduncles!

You can see my fellow flower lovers on the trip behind: we were all bessoten admiring the blooms!

I like this hairy purple one!

I loved seeing distinct forms next to one another. 

Tamar Galstyan taking closeups (she was our local guide and author of the Armenia wildflower book we used).

On and on they went!

Looking at these gives me a pang of regret that spring has slipped by this year--my pasqueflowers are all past seed now except for a few...

But they're still blooming in the mountains--I'd better get up there!