Black Knight Sweet Scabious is a striking heirloom flower with nearly black blooms that punctuate summer and fall gardens across hardiness zones 2 through 11. Growing 30 to 36 inches tall with a refined 18-inch spread, this cultivar of Scabiosa atropurpurea reaches full bloom roughly 112 days from seed, rewarding patient gardeners with months of dramatic, nectar-rich flowers. The deep coloring and long vase life have made it a cottage garden staple, while its low maintenance and pollinator magnetism suit both cutting gardens and traditional borders.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
36in H x 18in W
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Moderate
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The nearly black flowers of Black Knight Sweet Scabious command attention in any garden setting, offering a depth of color rarely seen among annual cut flowers. Blooming reliably from early summer through the first frosts, it provides consistent cutting material for nearly half the year. Deer leave it untouched while butterflies and bees visit steadily, making it both a practical and ecologically generous addition to the garden.
Black Knight Sweet Scabious thrives as a cut flower, its long, sturdy stems and dark blooms holding up exceptionally well in the vase. Gardeners grow it specifically for cutting arrangements and dried flower work, where the unusual dark color adds drama and sophistication to bouquets.
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Start seeds indoors in pots 4 to 5 weeks before your last spring frost. Keep soil at 65 to 70°F and cover with a sprinkling of vermiculite or a humidity dome to maintain moisture during the 5 to 15 day germination window. Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off.
Move hardened-off seedlings outside around your last frost date. Space plants 18 inches apart in a location with good air circulation.
Direct sow seed outdoors about 2 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow at the surface or barely cover with soil.
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