FlowerScabiosa
Fata Morgana Scabiosa
Pincushion Flower
Fata Morgana Scabiosa is an elegant open-pollinated cutflower variety of Scabiosa atropurpurea that delivers uniform, sophisticated blooms perfect for fresh arrangements. Growing 24 to 36 inches tall on compact plants, these flowers emerge 90 to 100 days after sowing and thrive in full sun to partial shade with consistent moisture. This is a serious florist's flower, not an afterthought bouquet stuffer, with the poise and presence that make gardeners and arrangers reach for it again and again.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-11
Sunlight
Partial Sun
Water
High
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Preferred Temp65-75°F
Growth Stats
36 in
Height
—
Width
9 in
Spacing
90–100
Days to Harvest
PeriodAnnual
TypeBush
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Partial Sun
Water
High
Zones
2-11
Size
36in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Fata Morgana produces flowers that are elegant and uniform across the plant, a hallmark trait for serious cut flower growers. The blooms emerge from compact plants that need just 9 inches of spacing, making them efficient use of garden real estate. Whether you're growing for the vase or for seed heads, this variety performs with reliable, professional-grade results that justify its place in any cutting garden.
Common Uses
Fata Morgana excels as a fresh-cut flower, prized by growers and arrangers who value its uniform, elegant blooms for bouquets and floral arrangements. The flowers can also be dried or used for their ornamental seed heads, adding textural interest to dried arrangements.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Summer
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Sow seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date. Barely cover the seeds, pressing them lightly into the soil surface, as light aids germination. Maintain soil temperature at 65 to 70°F for germination. Transplant seedlings to cell packs or larger containers once the first true leaves appear. In the greenhouse, keep transplants at 50 to 55°F to prevent them from becoming leggy. Harden off the transplants before moving them outdoors.
Transplant Outdoors
After hardening off, transplant seedlings outside after your last frost date. If direct seeding outdoors, wait 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date. Space plants 9 inches apart.
Direct Sow
Direct sow 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date. For best quality flowers and continuous harvest, make successive plantings every 2 to 3 weeks until late spring.
Harvesting
For fresh-cut flowers, harvest in the morning when blooms are at their freshest and petals are just opening. Use a clean knife that has been dipped in a 10 percent household bleach solution to make clean cuts and reduce disease spread. Bring flowers inside and place them immediately in a vase filled with fresh water; add a few drops of bleach to the vase water to prolong their beauty and freshness.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Scientific Classification
Knautia L.
Family
Dipsacaceae
Genus
Knautia
Duration
Annual
Growth Habit
Bush
Native Status
L48 (I)