Scabiosa Grandmother’s Pincushion – Renee’s Garden

Scabiosa atropurpurea

Heirloom Butterfly Scabiosa

Cottage garden favorites since the colonial era, scabiosas tightly closed buds look like Victorian brooches which unfold into densely petaled, frilly centered flowers. Perfect for sunny borders, these long stemmed 2 to 3 inch pincushion flowers attract Monarch, Fritillary and Skipper butterflies throughout the summer. Our premium Dutch selection is more upright in habit and contains all the best old-fashioned colors including deep crimson, mulberry, soft salmon, rose pink, lilac and white.

Seed Count: Approx. 45-50 / Weight: 0.3 g

HARDY ANNUAL

Spring/summer bloom
Can handle light frost

FOR BEST RESULTS

Sow seeds 1 to 2 inches apart in a container of seed starting mix, 2 or 3 weeks before last expected frost. Cover 1/4 inch deep, keep moist and provide a good light source until seedlings are ready to transplant. Plant out into fertile garden soil in full sun when plants are 3 to 4 inches tall.

TO START SEEDS OUTDOORS

Sow seeds in a well-drained, deeply worked garden bed in full sun as soon as soil can be worked in spring. Space seeds 8 to 10 inches apart in rows a foot apart and cover 1/4 inch deep. Keep seed bed moist until seedlings emerge in 12 to 15 days. Weed carefully and keep well watered.

THIN OR TRANSPLANT

Space seedlings 12 to 18 in. apart.

GROWING NOTES

Plant in early spring to get sturdy plants that will flower throughout the summer and fall. Curving stems are part of this plants character, although our Dutch cultivar is more upright than others. Support growing plants for best display and to make cutting the lovely flowers easier. Cut often for bouquets and to produce more blossoms. In mild winter areas, they are a short-lived perennial and will winter over to bloom a second season.