Cerinthe glabra

This is a short-lived perennial which is sometimes grown as a biennial. It has a wayward charm with light bluish green foliage having fleshy-looking leaves that have whitish spots. When the flowers develop the yellowish stems arch at their tips. The flowers emerge from long pale green tubular calyces and are coloured yellow-orange with protruding stamens. They are tubular in character, looking as though they should open wide, but never do. The flowers come in late spring and early summer. A plant that likes lime and moist, shady positions. It is found growing naturally in mountains in Europe.