Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa
Also comes in pink, white and red.
Pincushion Flower blooms from June through September.
This entry comes from our curated library and has not yet been independently checked against outside sources. Curated is not unreliable: a standing audit keeps every entry internally consistent, and the source-by-source check is working through the whole library in the open.
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 1.6 ft tall and 1.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
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. For the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 7 range, 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: for the middle of its range, start with zone 5 in April.
Good to know about Pincushion Flower
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 9.8 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.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 6.6 ft, for the layer behind it.
Witch Hazel
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 9.8 ft, for the layer behind it.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both offer pollinator forage; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border.
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