Scabiosa 

By Leslie E. Stevens  UCCE Master Gardener

PERENNIAL PINCUSHION FLOWER

 (Scabiosa caucasica)

Planting Zone: Sunset zones 1 – 10, 14 – 24

Size: 1-1/2 – 2-1/2 feet high, 1 – 2 feet wide

Exposure: full sun except in hottest areas where it needs partial shade

Bloom season: spring through fall

Pruning needs: deadhead spent flowers to encourage more blooms

Water needs: moderate water once established

Snapshot: These cheery bloomers earn their common name from the tiny stamens that stick up from the flower's round center, mimicking a pincushion. They are available in shades of blue, lavender, pink or white flowers making them a valued addition to perennial beds.

The clumping perennial features lance-shaped grayish-green foliage supporting long-stemmed blooms that wave in the breeze and add movement to the garden. They also make excellent cut flowers.

Scabiosa prefers good drainage and is subject to rot in water-logged soils especially in winter. Otherwise, it is an easy-care plant with few disease or pest problems. It requires little if any fertilizer under normal growing conditions.

The plant spreads slowly over time, rewarding the patient gardener with a bounty of new offshoots. Regular deadheading assures a long boom season. Thin plants every three-to-four years to avoid overcrowding.

Scabiosa grows easily from seed and also is normally available as small container plants at local nurseries during the growing season. It is particularly well-suited to San Luis Obispo County's milder summer climate areas.

An added bonus—butterflies love them!