Scabiosa, also known as the pincushion plant, gets its nickname from the dark grey, pollen bearing stamens that stick out prominently from the center of the plant like pins. For a perennial, scabiosa has a particularly long blooming period. The 2 to 2 1/2 foot stalks begin to bear 3-inch blossoms in the spring, and if the plants are deadheaded regularly, will continue to bloom on into the early fall. Scabiosa is available in mauve, lavender, violet, blue, and white, in addition to the common light blue featured on the basic species.
Dwarf scabiosa is ideal for edging alongside sidewalks because of its neat appearance. This heavy bloomer is almost worry-free and makes a great cut flower. Animals that would be harmful to the plant, such as deer, tend to avoid it, while, as an added bonus, pretty butterflies are attracted to it. It's no surprise that scabiosa was voted the 2000 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association.
Scabiosa tends to thrive in zones 3 through 10, except along the Gulf Coast and Florida. Scabiosa does best when exposed to full sunlight. It also requires soil that remains moist during most of the growing season and is well drained during the wintertime. For the best results, plant the seeds 12 to 15 inches apart from one another. You can grow new plants from both clump divisions as well as seeds sewn in the summer for blooming in the following year.