Field Scabious
Knautia arvensis
Also listed as Scabiosa arvensis, Trichera arvensis
Also known as Blue Buttons, Gypsy's-rose
Climate Match for your location
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Field Scabious is a hardy wildflower perennial with delicate pincushion-like flowers in lavender-blue or pink, attractive to pollinators and butterflies. It thrives in sunny, dry locations and requires minimal maintenance once established.
Why grow it
Field Scabious offers reliable late-season bloom (July through September) on a native or naturalized species across much of Europe and temperate Asia, making it useful for extending pollinator forage when many garden perennials have finished flowering. Unlike some ornamental scabious cultivars, the species establishes readily in poor, well-drained soils with minimal inputs, suiting low-maintenance perennial borders and meadow restoration where other showy plants might require amendment or irrigation.
Watch out for
Once established, Field Scabious self-seeds readily; deadheading will suppress volunteer seedlings if spread is not desired. In rich, moist soils the plant may become weak-stemmed or short-lived compared to performance in lean conditions.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
Native Range
Europe
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Field Scabious is a hardy wildflower perennial with delicate pincushion-like flowers in lavender-blue or pink, attractive to pollinators and butterflies. It thrives in sunny, dry locations and requires minimal maintenance once established.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Field Scabious grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Field Scabious offers reliable late-season bloom (July through September) on a native or naturalized species across much of Europe and temperate Asia, making it useful for extending pollinator forage when many garden perennials have finished flowering. Unlike some ornamental scabious cultivars, the species establishes readily in poor, well-drained soils with minimal inputs, suiting low-maintenance perennial borders and meadow restoration where other showy plants might require amendment or irrigation.
Watch out for
Once established, Field Scabious self-seeds readily; deadheading will suppress volunteer seedlings if spread is not desired. In rich, moist soils the plant may become weak-stemmed or short-lived compared to performance in lean conditions.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
Native Range
Europe
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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