Scabious, knautia – species and care

The scabious transforms every bed into a breathtaking sea of ​​flowers, as long as the sun’s rays embrace them often enough. It is a little surprising that this hardy, up to 100 cm tall perennial is not well known, especially since it scores with a flowering period that lasts for months and is surprisingly undemanding. As a plant genus, Knautia offers a diverse range of species, so that it fulfills almost every color wish, from white to blue-violet to pink and ruby ​​red. As a result, the scabious is also very popular as a cut flower, spreading the magic of a wildflower in colorful bouquets in the house as well.

Impressive species

The focus of the natural range is in Europe and the Mediterranean. Here the scabious thrives in sun-drenched meadows or adorns the edge of the forest and paths. Our ancestors superstitiously called it thunderbolt because they said it attracts thunder and lightning. The following species have proven themselves in cultivation within private home gardens:

Meadow scabious or field scabious (Knautia arvensis)
The name leaves no doubt as to where this species usually cavorts. It is popularly known as the ‘sewing pillow’ because of the semi-circular shape of the flower. Botanists distinguish between two subspecies: the common meadow scabious with coarsely hairy stems and the Pannonian meadow scabious with delicately hairy, felt-like stems.

  • Growth height 30 cm to 80 cm.
  • Flowering time from June to August/September.
  • Well visited bee and butterfly pasture.

Forest Meadow Flower (Knautia dipsacifolia)
This species proves that Knautia do not only thrive in sunny locations, but can also cope with a shady, slightly damp forest or wood edge. It is therefore advisable to look carefully at the type of plant when buying seeds or young plants.

  • Growth height 30 cm to 100 cm.
  • Upright stems with downy trimmings.
  • Offers plenty of varieties in different colors.

Macedonian Scabious (Knautia macedonica)
A magnificent flowering perennial with dark red, pink or purple, globose flowers and lanceolate, deciduous foliage. The sunnier their location, the brighter the coloring develops. Thus, this category is ideally suited for cultivation in the rock garden or on a dry wall.

  • Growth height 60 cm to 100 cm.
  • Flowering period from June to September.
  • Tight, partly overhanging habit.

Monte Baldo scabious (Knautia baldensis)
The central distribution area of ​​this dainty flower is on Lake Garda and the surrounding area. In Germany, the perennial has so far only reached a few hobby gardens, although it is a visual enrichment, especially in planters.

  • Growth height 20 cm to 80 cm.
  • Pink to light purple flowers until autumn.
  • Densely hairy stem and calyx.

Hungarian scabious (Knautia drymeia)
It has already become firmly established in Hungary and Austria. The species is still largely unknown in Germany, but is on the rise, not least thanks to its versatility. The Hungarian scabious feels just as at home on the partially shaded edge of the forest as it does in crevices in walls in full sun.

  • Growth height 40 cm to 80 cm.
  • Curved ascending, slightly hairy flower stalks.
  • Hemispherical flower with a purple crown.

Yellow scabious (Knautia kitaibelii)
Native to the south-east of Central Europe, the yellow scabious surprises with a comparatively compact to bushy silhouette. Bright yellow flowers are unmistakably enthroned on dark green stems. If nothing really wants to flourish in the calcareous, stony soil, this clan solves the problem in no time at all.

  • Growth height 40 cm to 80 cm.
  • Dense clumps with deeply dissected foliage.
  • Continuous bloomers from June to October.

Blue scabious (Knautia caucasica)
As a cultivated plant, the pure species is not found in the wild. Rather, professional breeders were trying to further strengthen the already advantageous attributes, such as complete winter hardiness, long-lasting inflorescence and extensive site tolerance.

  • Growth height up to 70 cm.
  • Fragrant, royal blue flowers well into October.
  • Decorative, feathery foliage in summer.
  • Available as the ‘Perfecta Alba’ variety with white flowers.

Southern Alps scabious (Knautia transalpina)
In Italy, Switzerland, especially in the southern Alps, a particularly robust species has settled and has adapted excellently to the calcareous soil of the mountains. The Southern Alps Scabious does not disdain a sunny spot in a meadow or by the wayside. She should also feel at home in a natural garden, in a gravel bed or in the cracks of a dry stone wall.

  • Growth height 20 cm to 70 cm.
  • Showy pinnate leaves with long terminal lobes.
  • Delicate flowers of light purple.

Jura scabious (Knautia godetii)
It adorns moist, shady, often calcareous locations, but lacks the bushy growth. Leaves do not form at the bottom of the stem. Only on the upper half does the elongated foliage sprout quite sparsely.

  • Growth height 40 cm to 80 cm.
  • Globular, lilac-pink flowers.
  • Flowering period from June to August.

Breeders took the most beautiful species as a basis for the development of attractive varieties with larger flowers and denser foliage, but at the expense of their visual impact as wildflowers. In some cultivars, however, the wild perennial status could be preserved if the Macedonian scabious or the yellow scabious was used as a parent plant.

maintenance

Whatever species or cultivar the gardener chooses, the scabious will not take up an undue amount of their time and attention. The choice of the appropriate location represents the central care aspect around which all other measures are entwined. All Knautia are naturally attuned to fending for themselves as much as possible, given the necessary resources. A circumstance in which the majority of other flowering perennials cannot compete on an equal footing with scabious.

location

The preferred site conditions are determined by the Knautia species selected. In this respect, the scabious is an interesting genus of plants for any ornamental garden, because there are just as attractive versions available for the hitherto empty spot in full sun, dry location as for the tricky place in moist soil under shady trees and shrubs.

  • Depending on the species, scabious thrive in a sunny, semi-shady or shady place.
  • Gladly an airy, warm location without exposure to strong winds.

Boden & Substrat

For the soil applies to scabious in the same way as when choosing the location that the clan to be planted fixes the premises.

  • Dry to fresh potting soil with a neutral pH.
  • Alternatively moist, well-drained substrate without waterlogging.
  • Alpine species tolerate the poor, gritty soil of the rock garden.

For the culture in the tub, the use of commercially available potting soil is recommended, with a suitable amount of sand mixed in.

watering and fertilizing

Well-established scabious can get through a short dry period unscathed. The survivors only require a regular supply of nutrients within the species that do not occur in the wild, but come from a breeder.

  • Water Knautia in the evening or in the morning if it is dry for a long time.
  • The bucket is watered more frequently due to the small volume of soil.
  • A start fertilization in March/April is welcome with every scabious.
  • Commercial multi-nutrient fertilizers are just as suitable as compost and horn shavings.

If symptoms of deficiency, such as pale colors and yellow leaf tips, signal that the scabious is struggling, the attentive hobby gardener will also feed it with fertilizer during the summer.

cutting and overwintering

When the blossoms have withered, the garden lover grabs the cutting tool in autumn and shortens the Knautia to just above the ground. No other precautions need to be taken in the bed for the winter. Scabious flowers in tubs ideally move to a frost-free winter quarters. If there is not enough space, the experienced hobby gardener protects the root ball from freezing by placing the planter on wood or polystyrene and wrapping it thickly with foil. A layer of leaves and straw is placed on top of the trimmed shoots. During a dry winter, knautia are given some water on frost-free days to keep them from drying out.

Note: The winter protection for scabious in the tub is removed in good time if the temperatures permanently exceed the frost line. Otherwise there is a risk of rotting.

multiply

Anyone who has taken the never-ending scabious to their hearts usually has a desire for more specimens. There are several methods of propagation to choose from:

division

  • When the ground is no longer frozen in spring, the mother plant is dug up.
  • A spade or sharp knife split the perennial into two or more pieces.
  • Each section has at least 2 nodes.

The segments have all the properties of the mother plant and are immediately planted and watered in the new location without delay.

cuttings

  • Summer is a good time for cuttings.
  • Each cutting is 10cm to 15cm long and is defoliated in the lower half.
  • The offshoots are planted in the ground in growing pots with a nutrient-poor substrate.
  • In a warm place that is not in full sun, they receive regular watering.

A fresh shoot signals that a new root system is forming in the soil. At the latest when the pot is completely rooted, the young plants can be placed in the bed or bucket. If autumn is just around the corner, the hobby gardener decides whether to continue cultivating the new scabious indoors or to plant them out immediately and later provide them with winter protection. At this early stage, despite all their frost resistance, they would not survive the hardships of the cold season unscathed without protection.

Tip : Each cutting gets its own pot so that the young roots do not intertwine. Detangling later is not only time-consuming, but can also damage the plants.

sowing

  • Spread out a sheet of plastic in January/February.
  • Spread moist sand and seed alternately on top.
  • Then roll up the foil and tie the ends with string.
  • Store in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator for 10 to 14 days.

Since the seeds are among the cold germs, a cold stimulus between 0° and 4° Celsius is required to stimulate them to germinate. Once they have reacted as desired, the seedlings move from the refrigerator to a seed tray, where they are initially cared for for a few days at 12° Celsius. The seedlings spend the rest of the time until they are planted in the bed on the bright, warm windowsill and are kept constantly moist.

Conclusion
Word is slowly but surely getting around among hobby gardeners about the beneficial properties of the species-rich scabious. Complete winter hardiness is just as important as a months-long flowering period and undemanding frugality. Throughout the summer she bathes the perennial bed in a sea of ​​brightly colored blossoms and only expects a little water when it is dry. Simply cut back to the ground in autumn to enjoy the flowers again next year. Undoubtedly, the Knautia has only just begun its triumphal march through ornamental gardens.

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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