Dune pansy

Dune pansy is a species of marram dunes and open moss dunes. It grows best on slightly drifting, calcareous open and sunny spots. Thanks to its sometimes metre-long roots, it can survive in these dry habitats. In Flanders, the dune pansy is very rare and limited to the coastal dunes. During a walk at the Flemish coast, you have the best chance of encountering this plant on the Western Coast. The dune pansy is a host plant (*) for the Queen of Spain fritillary.

(*) A host plant is a plant from which an animal or another plant obtains its nutrients. Without the host plant, the animal or plant often cannot survive.