All flowers
Field Scabious Wikimedia Commons
Caprifoliaceae

Field Scabious

Knautia arvensis

Unfortunate love.

Family
Caprifoliaceae
Genus
Knautia
Native to
Europe, Western Asia
Bloom season
Summer, Early Fall
Type
perennial herb
Height
1-3 ft
Sunlight
full sun to part shade
Soil
well-drained, calcareous, dry to medium
Water
low
Hardiness
5-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The name 'scabious' comes from the Latin 'scabies' because the plant was historically used to treat skin conditions and itching.
  • Its pincushion-like flower heads are among the best wildflowers for attracting butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
  • The outer florets of each flower head are larger than the inner ones, creating a distinctive frilly, asymmetric appearance.
  • It was named after the 17th-century German botanist Christoph Knaut who wrote an early systematic catalog of plants.
  • In traditional European folklore, picking Field Scabious was said to bring bad luck, possibly to protect this valuable medicinal plant.

Color meanings

0

loss

1

widowhood

Uses

  • wildflower meadows
  • pollinator gardens
  • traditional herbal remedies