Fata Morgana Sweet Scabious is a stunning cultivar of Scabiosa atropurpurea that brings deep, romantic color and pollinator magic to gardens from zones 2 through 11. Standing 30 to 36 inches tall, these flowers command attention in beds and borders, blooming reliably from early summer straight through the first frost, typically 112 days from seed to first flowers. Deer leave them untouched, and butterflies and bees are drawn to them like a magnet, making this variety a genuine workhorse for gardeners who want both beauty and ecological benefit.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
36in H x 18in W
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Moderate
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The blooms arrive with impressive reliability across a remarkably wide hardiness range, thriving equally well in cold northern gardens and warm southern zones. Once established, these plants handle moderate water needs with grace, even tolerating some drought stress without complaint. The long bloom window, stretching from June clear through November in most climates, means you'll have flowers when many other summer bloomers have already faded.
Fata Morgana Sweet Scabious shines as a cut flower, with stems long enough and strong enough to hold their own in arrangements. The delicate, pincushion-like flowers also add texture and movement to mixed borders, and their pollinator-attracting properties make them valuable in any garden designed to support butterflies and native bees.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors in pots 4 to 5 weeks before your last spring frost. Keep soil temperature at 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and cover the pots with a humidity dome or sprinkling of vermiculite to aid germination. Seedlings should emerge in 5 to 15 days.
Once seedlings develop their first true leaves and all danger of frost has passed, harden them off by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant to garden soil enriched with 2 to 4 inches of compost, spacing plants 18 inches apart.
Direct sow seeds outdoors about 2 weeks before your last spring frost. Barely cover seeds with soil (about 1/16 inch), keeping the seedbed moist until germination occurs.
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