General Description/History

Scabiosa are delicate, daisy-like, tufted flowers that come in a range of pastel colours, most commonly blue, mauve, or white. There is one flower perched on top of each slender stem. They have an old-fashioned, cottage garden look that has been very popular in recent years.

Scabiosa is mostly field-grown in cooler areas near Melbourne, Sydney, in Tasmania and in SA and WA.

What to look for

• Flowers that are fully open
• Avoid bunches with signs of petal drop or yellow leaves.

Flower Care

1. Keep cool whenever possible.
2. Split bunches and strip leaves from the lower half of each stem.
3. Wash stem ends thoroughly.
4. Recut at least 2 cm off each stem with sharp secateurs and place in water immediately.
5. Preservative is essential – this will help keep the water clean as these flowers are known to foul vase water.
6. Replace water every day.
7. These flowers are very sensitive to ethylene, which causes petal drop. Keep them away from fruit, car exhausts and cigarette smoke.

Interesting Facts about this Flower

The name Scabiosa is derived from the word scabies, meaning ‘itch’, which refers to the plant’s supposed properties of curing irritations of the skin.

Botanical Name: Scabiosa atropurpurea

Common Names: Egyptian Rose, Pincushion Flower, Scabiosa, Scabious

Stem Length: 30 to 60 cm

Country of Origin: Mediterranean

Available Colours: Blue, Purple, White

Season: Summer,Autumn

Availability: January,February,March,Decemeber