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Introducing...

Scabious

Botanical name: Scabiosa, Knautia, Cephalaria, Sucissa

With a succession of summer flowers  scabious are winsome addition to borders. They can be perennials, surviving for several years or shorter lived annuals, dying after flowering. The flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies and many make good cut flowers for the home. The core colours of scabious are white, lavender and blue but there are some burgundies and lemons to choose from too.

Looks

These plants bear flowers which are often referred to as 'pin cushions'. They're held on wiry stems which give them a child-like appeal. While scabious come in lavenders, blues and sometimes white, the most commonly grown Cephalaria is lemon and Knautia are predominantly wine-red.

Likes

  Scabious generally like well-draining and sunny locations.

Dislikes

  Most scabious dislike wet feet and shade. 

Did you know?

Scabious is a common term for several species including: Cephalaria (giant scabious), Knautia (Macedonian scabious), Succisa (devil's bit scabious) and of course, Scabiosa

Browse scabious

Border scabious

Annual and biennial scabious

Scabious we recommend

Useful advice

Creating wildflower meadows

Creating wildflower meadows

Wildflower meadow maintenance

Wildflower meadow maintenance

Pollinators: decline in numbers

Pollinators: decline in numbers

Native and non-native plants for pollinators

Native and non-native plants for pollinators

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Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.