Leaves rise just after the flowers in spring on this species. They are very deeply indented and at first appearance are completely woolly but later expand to reveal their true form - deeply serrated. Flowers are bell like but held erect and backed by a ruff of leaves with a furry covering. Flower colour is generally a lilac-lavender.
The leaves on this species appear a little more coarse than Pulsatilla vulgaris and not quite as hairy.