Knautia arvensis

Knautia arvensis, also known as field scabious, bears light lilac-blue fluffy flower heads. It is a tall perennial with a slightly loose habit but a light appearance, emerging from a basal rosette of greenish-grey leaves. It quickly establishes itself in the garden and self-seeds easily, but not excessively. Simple and hardy, it has retained the charm of wild plants. Perfect in a flower meadow or in a rustic border, in full sun or partial shade. It shows resistance to drought once established.

Knautia arvensis belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. This plant is native to Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Caucasus. It has naturalised in certain regions of North America. In the wild, it often grows on limestone soils, in meadows or at the edge of woodlands. When in bloom, it forms an upright clump with a slightly loose habit, reaching a height of 80cm (32in) and a diameter of at least 40cm (16in). This perennial forms a basal rosette of hairy, greyish-green, persistent leaves, shaped like a lyre, from which numerous flexible, highly branched flowering stems emerge. The flowering occurs from June to September-October, depending on the climate. An established plant produces about 100 flower heads each summer. The stems are accompanied by a few simple, pinnatifid leaves and bear spherical heads of pale blue-purple small flowers, with a diameter of 2 to 4cm (1 to 2in), at their ends. The flowering is followed by the formation of highly decorative seed heads. Like all scabious plants, it is attractive to bees and provides nectar. It is a short-lived perennial, but it self-seeds easily in light soil.

In a flower meadow, among borders of more sophisticated perennial flowers, or in herbaceous borders, Knautia arvensis enhances all other plants with its small flowers that seem to be suspended in the air. Its slightly gangly habit requires the gardener to cultivate this plant among others that provide support, such as taller plants. It will benefit from being planted at the back of a border, leaning on shrubs like abelias, Kolkwitzia amabilis 'Pink Cloud', or gauras. Pair it with hybrid mulleins, 'Canon Went' toadflax, bright orange Californian poppies, or perennial grasses that it doesn't fear competition from. Another idea for pairing is with Aster turbinellus or Coreopsis 'Moonbeam'. Its delicate flowers are well-suited for country-style bouquets.