Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue'

RHS Plant Profile

scabious 'Butterfly Blue'

Synonyms

Scabiosa 'Irish Perpetual Flowering'
Scabiosa 'Perpetual Flowering'
Scabiosa 'Blue Butterflies'
Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'
Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue Beauty'
Scabiosa Butterfly Blue

Herbaceous Perennial

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a herbaceous perennial to 40cm, forming a mound of ferny foliage and producing pale blue, pincushion flowers over a long period from early summer into autumn

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: West–facing or East–facing or South–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H4
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Caprifoliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Scabiosa can be annuals, biennials or herbaceous or evergreen perennials, with simple or pinnately lobed leaves and characteristic flower-heads with enlarged outer florets
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in full sun and protect from winter wet

Propagation

Propagate by division or take basal cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds
Garden edging

Pruning

Deadhead to prolong flowering, cut down stems in autumn

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free