Knautia arvensis

field scabious

• Position: full sun
• Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained, preferably alkaline soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: July to September
• Flower colour: bluish-lilac
• Other features: highly attractive to bees
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Bluish-lilac, honeycomb-like flowerheads on slender stems from July to September and hairy, dull green leaves. This beautiful native field scabious was once used to treat scabies and other skin ailments - hence its common name. Highly attractive to butterflies and bees, it's perfect for naturalising in a sunny wildflower garden, mixed or herbaceous border.
  
  
• Garden care: When sowing seeds do not use a fertiliser since wildflowers prefer poor soils. In autumn after flowering cut the faded flowerheads down to the ground and compost the dead stems.
  
  

  The photograph shows the small copper butterfly.

  • Eventual Height: 1.5m
  • Eventual Spread: 0.3m
  Knautia arvensis - field scabious A great nectar source for butterflies