Knautia arvensis – Scabiosa arvensis – Blue Buttons – Field Scabious –

Description

Knautia – There are 60 species of annuals and perennials in this genus.  Found from limestone grassland, scrub, and woodland in Europe, Caucasus, Russia, and North Africa.  They have over wintering rosettes of simple to pinnatifid basal leaves, and opposite pairs of stem leaves, which are pinnatifid or simple.  Tall stems bear cup shaped involucres of bracts, surrounding dense, bluish lilac or reddish purple flower heads.  They are attractive to bees.  Grow in a herbaceous border, cottage garden, or wild garden. Grow in moderately fertile, well drained, preferably alkaline soil in full sun or part shade. Prone to aphids.  K. arvensis – Scabiosa arvensis – Blue Buttons – Field Scabious – This clump forming, deeply tap rooted perennial originally from Europe,. Caucasus, Iran to Central Asia and Russia has been naturalized in parts of North America grows 5’ feet tall and just 12” wide.  It has erect but often lax, hairless stems, the lower parts bristly.  It produces simple to pinnatifid, hairy, dull green leaves, 2-10” long, simple or pinnatifid higher up the stem.  Flat topped, pale purple-blue pincushion like flower heads, 1 ¼-1 ½” across, with softly bristly involucres bracts, are borne from mid summer to early autumn. Zones 5-9