Illustration
Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa
Also comes in pink, white and red.
Pincushion Flower blooms from June through September.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Pincushion Flower
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–7. Expect it to reach about 20 in tall and 16 in wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years (not yet checked).
No toxicity note is on file for Pincushion Flower. That is not a clearance: check its safety for people and pets before planting.
What this means
Written with AI assistance and not yet checked plant by plant against recorded sources, so treat every fact above as a starting point. Its scientific name was checked against botanical registries, an audit keeps its values consistent with the rest of the library, and a July 2026 review re-read the main facts of every plant then in the library against horticultural authorities without recording a source for each, which is why none of that counts as checked here. The source-by-source check is working through the whole library in the open, and a checked plant says so in this row.
When to plant Pincushion Flower
Plant Pincushion Flower in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 5, the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 7, spring means April to June and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from June to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 5, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 5 in April. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Pincushion Flower get?
20 intall5 ft 7 inan adult16 inwideSee Pincushion Flower in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Pincushion Flower
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Pincushion Flower about 16 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Pincushion Flower to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Good to know about Pincushion Flower
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Worth knowing
Winter-wet soil, not cold, is what kills it. The same soggy ground that rots the crown also kills it over winter, so sharp drainage matters most. per NC State and Missouri Botanical
Hardiness varies by species
The caucasica type is hardy zones 3 to 8, but 'Butterfly Blue' columbaria is listed 5 to 9. Identify which species you have before trusting a zone range. per NC State and Missouri Botanical
Excellent cut flower
Long, wiry stems and a long vase life make it a first-rate cut flower and bouquet favorite; it dries well for arrangements too. per NC State and Illinois Extension
Butterfly and bee magnet
The nectar-rich pincushion heads draw butterflies, bees and hummingbirds, and the very long bloom means a steady nectar source all season. per NC State and Missouri Botanical
Deer and rabbit resistant
Reported deer resistant and generally rabbit resistant, so browsers usually leave it alone; no plant is truly deer-proof under heavy pressure, though. per NC State and Missouri Botanical
Deadheading does double duty
Deadheading keeps the long bloom going and, with occasional division, offsets the plant's short life. The chore that keeps it flowering also keeps it alive. per NC State and Missouri Botanical
What pairs well with Pincushion Flower
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Rock Cress
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Aster
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Winterberry
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; blooms in mid fall as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 6.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 10 ft, for the layer behind it.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 6.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Eastern Redbud
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.