Pincushion

This perennial scabiosa grows wild on mountain meadows and rocky slopes of the Caucasus, northern Iran, and Turkey. In gardens, it is grown for its charming large saucer-shaped flowers. It has strong long stems, making it a perfect perennial for cutting. It is best harvested while the central florets are still firmly closed; it then lasts up to 10 days in a vase. The seed heads are also very useful and can be dried. Fama White has pure white flowers.

This perennial scabiosa grows wild on mountain meadows and rocky slopes of the Caucasus, northern Iran, and Turkey. In gardens, it is grown for its charming large saucer-shaped flowers. It has strong long stems, making it a perfect perennial for cutting. It is best harvested while the central florets are still firmly closed; it then lasts up to 10 days in a vase. The seed heads are also very useful and can be dried. Fama Deep Blue has violet-blue flowers.

A smaller scabious with flowers in a soft pink-lilac shade. It is smaller than the Caucasian scabious. It can bloom for a very long time and almost continuously, especially if we continuously remove spent inflorescences.

A native wild species of smaller scabious with muted pale yellow flowers. It grows naturally on sunny, rocky slopes in sparse vegetation, where it is not threatened by larger, competitive species. It relies on its ability to self-seed, so although it is not a long-lived perennial, it can persist well in the garden under suitable conditions. It is also suitable for planting in containers on sunny terraces and balconies. It attracts bees, bumblebees, and butterflies.