Pincushion Flower
Fama Blue Scabiosa is a perennial pincushion flower that stops people in their tracks with its brilliant blue blooms reaching 4 inches across. Hardy in zones 4 through 8, this cultivar grows 24 inches tall on long, wiry stems and flowers reliably from spring through mid to late summer. At 120 days to maturity, it's a patient grower that rewards you with magnetic appeal to bees and butterflies, whether planted front and center in the landscape or brought indoors for arrangements.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-8
?in H x ?in W
Perennial
High
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These gargantuan blue pincushion flowers command attention from the moment they open, attracting pollinators like nothing else in the garden. The plant creates dense, low tufts of foliage while the blooms hover above on long, thin stems, creating an airy, sophisticated look that works in both cottage gardens and modern designs. At 4 inches across, each flower head is substantial enough to feel substantial in a vase, and the long flowering window from spring into late summer means weeks of color.
Fama Blue Scabiosa shines as a cut flower, where those long, wiry stems and substantial 4-inch blooms become the focal point of arrangements. It's equally at home in garden beds as a pollinator magnet, drawing bees and butterflies all season long. The extended bloom time and airy growth habit make it a natural choice for front-of-border plantings where you want color without visual weight.
Start seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before your last spring frost at a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Sow at a depth of 1/4 inch. Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off once soil temperatures reach the mid-50s.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off for 7 to 10 days, spacing them 9 to 15 inches apart. Plant after the danger of hard frost has passed, typically when nighttime temperatures stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Direct sow seeds outdoors in early spring at a 1/4-inch depth, spacing seeds 9 to 15 inches apart. Thin seedlings to their final spacing once they've developed their first true leaves.
Cut flowers when the pincushion blooms have fully opened and are deeply colored blue. Harvest in early morning when stems are most turgid, cutting at least 6 to 8 inches of stem length to maximize vase life. Remove lower foliage before placing in water. Recut stems every few days and change the water regularly to extend the arrangement's life.
Deadhead spent flowers regularly throughout the flowering window to encourage continuous blooms from spring through mid to late summer. Once the plant enters dormancy in fall, cut stems back to near ground level to tidy the planting and reduce disease pressure over winter.
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