Curtis Botanical – Plate 6959 – Rat's Tail Statice / Pink Poker / Russian Statice

Original antique black-and-white print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine — Plate 6959.

Named for General Alexander Suvorov, the legendary 18th-century Russian field marshal who never lost a battle. Its long, sinuous spikes of tiny pink flowers look exactly like a pink rat's tail — an arresting and memorable form.

Central Asian heritage connection.

Uncolored plate. Condition consistent with age of volume. Each print is a unique piece of botanical history, printed on paper aged over a century.

This plate originated with the Royal Horticultural Society and passed through Wheldon & Wesley, one of the great natural history dealers of the 20th century. We came into the archive by accident and have spent the time since trying to share it as widely as we can.