Scabious

Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)

about

A hardy perennial wildflower with small dark violet/blue pincushion flowers which appear in late summer, between July and September. Each plant can send up a number of long slender flower stems up to 70cm tall. Devil’s-bit Scabious leaves are a quite distinctive dark green and have a leathery appearance.

The leaves are also evergreen, even during the winter months and when not in flower they not to difficult to identify.

In the garden Devil’s-bit Scabious, can be planted along side other perennial wild flowers such as, Common Fleabane or Meadow Sweet which flower and grow well in similar shady damp habitats.

habitat

A native wild flower in Britain, Devil’s-bit Scabious prefers damp soils, in the wild it may be found growing in Damp Meadows, Woodland Rides and Marshes

Devil’s-bit scabious is a food plant for the caterpillars of a one of Britian’s rarest and prettiest butterflies, the Marsh Fritillary

Devil's Bit Scabious leaves dark green leaves even in winter

Devil’s Bit Scabious, dark evergreen leaves in winter

Devil’s-bit-Scabious, small blue pincushion flowers

Devil’s-bit-Scabious, single blue pincushion flowers

In my Garden there are now around 100 or more established plants, grown mostly from collected seed, moved on into 9cm pots and planted in semi-shade. Getting most of the summer sun from late afternoon avoiding the heat of the day.

Plant Information

Name: Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)
Group: Caprifoliaceae Honeysuckle family
Type: Hardy Perennial
Position: Sun or Semi-shade
Soil Type: Well drained, Moist soil (not water logged)
Similar appearance to:
Flowering: July to September
Position: Sun with semi-shade,
Height: around 70cm
Larval food plant: Marsh Fritillary Butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia)
Nectar plant: Common Blue, Bees, Hoverflies
Photograph:Top 26th May 2015, Bottom: 21st Feb 2019
Location: Growing in my Garden

Scabious – Flowers that Attract Butterflies and Bees

about

Well known as a native wildflower, Scabious with its range of cultivated varieties and colours also makes it a traditional garden favourite. Its constant flowering throughout the summer months, makes it the perfect plant for when little else is flowering, such as in late July.

Scabious is a great choice for any wildlife garden, or meadow, its steady supply of nectar rich flowers will attract pollinating insects, like Butterflies and Bees.

Native Varieties

Wild native varieties like the common “Field Scabious” (Knutia arvensis) or the less common “Small Scabious” (Scabosa columbaria) can be found throughout England and Wales, flowering June-September they may be found on dry calcareous (lime or Chalk) grassland. Similar looking the two sometimes confused. Devil’s-Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) has smaller rounded flowers around 15-25mm across and is found in much damper conditions, than the Field or Small Scabious.

Field Scabious flower head

Scabious Information

Also Known As: Pincushion flower
Light: Full sun or partial shade
Sow seeds: February, March, April, May, June
Flowering: May – September or until the first frost
Height: Around 50-60cm
Soil: Well drained Lime-Chalk /Alkaline.

Well known varieties

Two of the most well known varieties are possibly Scabious ‘Blue Jeans’ and Scabious ‘Butterfly Blue’, their abundance of flowers throughout the summer makes these real garden favourites.

These and many more colours and varieties of Scabious are available Visit “Thompson & Morgan” here, to take a look

Scabious “Butterfly Blue Beauty”

General Plant care

New Scabious plants when large enough can be put out from April in a frost free position, always allow about a week for them to acclimatise and the risk of frost has passed before planting out 30-40 cm apart, varieties with large blooms may need light support if the weather is particularly wet or windy. Remove dead flowers (dead heading) during the growing season every week or so, new blooms will soon take their place.

In Autumn or when the Scabious plants have turned brown and died back they can be cut down to ground level, this can also be done in the spring, when plants can be propagated by division.

Propagation

To keep a stock of healthy plants, Scabious requires some propagation this is best done March-April by root division, this requires lifting and dividing young plants into one or two divisions and replanting, or replacing the older less vagarious growing plants.

Field Scabious in Meadow