| PRONUNCIATION |
GNAW-tee-uh mass-ih-DAWN-ih-kuh |
| COMMON NAME |
Crimson Scabious, Crimson Pincushion |
| SYNONYMS |
Scabiosa rumelica |
| DERIVATION |
macedonica = from Macedonia, Macedonian |
| NAMED AFTER |
a 17th. Century Saxon botanist, Dr. Christopher Knaut (1638-1694) |
| FAMILY |
Dipsicaceae - Teasel |
| TYPE |
upright, sometimes sprawling, bushy perennial; may perform like a biennial |
| USES |
excellent cut flower, for dried arrangements, good filler plant in borders, attracts hummingbirds and butterflies |
| FLOWER |
tiny, double, almost globular, in domed clusters on long stems, followed by attractive green seed-heads |
| COLOUR |
bright crimson red, sometimes called wine-red; may be flecked with white |
| FOLIAGE |
deeply divided; two distinct kinds of leaves, those higher on the clump being more deeply divided than those at the bottom |
| STEMS |
lax, branching, 30-45" stems |
| COLOUR |
soft green |
| HARDINESS |
Zone 5 |
| EXPOSURE |
full sun |
| SOIL |
average, well-drained |
| WATER |
medium moisture with occasional deep waterings; fairly drought-tolerant once established |
| HEIGHT |
30" |
| SPREAD |
24" |
| BLOOM |
June until frost |
| STAKING |
yes, unless you prefer the sprawling charm of this plant |
| DEADHEAD |
yes, to encourage continuous rebloom until frost |
| PROBLEMS |
none serious |
| AFTERCARE |
for best flowering, remove spent flowers and fertilize regularly |
| FALL CARE |
cut to ground level |
| PROPAGATION |
basal cuttings in spring; seed in autumn or spring;
seed apparently germinates best after cold treatment, then with fluctuating temperatures - see below for more details |
| SEED CULTURE |
METHOD 1
sow indoors in containers in spring, 10-12 weeks prior to last spring frost;
cover lightly with vermiculite and moisten;
germination will occur after 10 days;
keep seedlings as cool as possible and provide shade from extremes of direct sunlight;
plants will bloom the first year from seed
METHOD 2
after sowing seed, place container inside a plastic baggie, with a 68-70ºF temperature for a week,
then set container in refrigerator for 30 days,
finally move container to a location at 68-70ºF where germination should begin in 10-30 days
METHOD 3
set container in a sheltered location outdoors in late winter to early spring,
check for germination as weather warms |
| FERTILIZER |
apply a slow-release fertilizer in early summer |
| MULCH |
|
| FORMS |
Knautia is a genus of about 60 species of summer-flowering annuals and perennials;
Knautia arvensis has bluish-lilac flowers |
| COMPANION PLANTS |
COMPANIONS PLANTS
|
BLUE PERENNIALS 