Knautia arvensis (L.) Coult.
Bluebuttons
Field scabious is a tall, graceful native perennial bearing flattened, pincushion-like heads of bluish-lilac florets on long, slender stems. The deeply lobed leaves form a basal clump, and the airy, branching flower stems sway easily in the breeze.
About
Field scabious is a tall, graceful native perennial bearing flattened, pincushion-like heads of bluish-lilac florets on long, slender stems. The deeply lobed leaves form a basal clump, and the airy, branching flower stems sway easily in the breeze. It is one of the larger members of the scabious group found in Britain and a familiar sight of high summer.
It grows best on dry, well-drained and often lime-rich soils, colonising meadows, grassy banks, road verges and field margins in full sun. Flowering through summer, it is one of the most valuable nectar plants for pollinators, drawing in bees, butterflies and hoverflies, and it supports the specialist large scabious mining bee. Long-lived and reliable, it is a mainstay of meadow seed mixes and pollinator-friendly borders, particularly on free-draining and calcareous ground.
Also known as
Bluecaps · Field Scabiosa · Field Scabious · Gypsy's-rose · blue buttons · field-scabious
Synonyms
Knautia arvensis alpestris · Knautia arvensis arvensis · Knautia arvensis budensis · Knautia arvensis monstruosa · Knautia arvensis vulgaris · Knautia breindli · Knautia ceretanica · Knautia ligerina · Knautia veneta · Scabiosa carpatica · Scabiosa stricta
In our seed mixes
- BFS 10 – Species Rich Wildflower Meadow Seed Mix
- BFS 120 – Wildlife Wildflower Seed Mix for Bees, Birds and Butterflies- 100% Flora
- BFS 13 – Tussocky Grassland Wildflower Meadow Mix
- BFS 140 – Bat Friendly Wildflower Seed Mix – 100% Flora
- BFS 6 – Hedgerow & Shade Wildflower Seed Mix
- BFS 7 – Calcareous Grassland Wildflower Seed Mix
- BFS10(F) – Species Rich 100% Wildflower Meadow Mix
- BFS13(F) – Tussocky Grassland 100% Wildflower Meadow Mix
- BFS6(F)- Hedgerow & Shade 100% Wildflower Seed Mix
- BFS7(F)- Calcareous Grassland 100% Wildflower Seed Mix
- UM13 – Treasure Trove Wildflower Mix
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.