Salmon Rose Scabiosa Seed

Days to germination

Seedlings usually appear in 10–12 days with the soil held near 65–70°F (18–21°C).

Transplanting

Indoor starts give the most reliable results. Start the seed a month to six weeks ahead of your planting date, barely covering it since light aids sprouting. When true leaves form, pot the seedlings up into individual cells or small pots and keep them in a cool spot, roughly 50–55°F (10–13°C), for compact growth. Set them in the garden, hardened off, once frost danger has passed.

Direct sowing

Seed can also go straight into the garden. For a longer run of blooms and pods, make a fresh sowing at intervals of two to three weeks, stopping in late spring. Expect to give the plants some support.

Light

Full sun.

Plant height

24–36".

Plant spacing

9–15".

Hardiness

Grown as an annual.

Harvest

For pincushion types (S. atropurpurea), take stems once the blooms are almost completely open. For Starflower (S. stellata) pods, fresh or dried, harvest while the heads are pale green rimmed in bronze and the little star centers are only beginning to darken; heads left too long fall apart.

Soil

Rich soil that drains well.

Uses

A long-lasting cut flower that also fills the rear of a bed or border.

Scientific name

Scabiosa atropurpurea

Also known as

Pincushion flower, mourning bride, drumstick flower.

Packet

50 seeds.

Seeds per oz.

About 2,800 on average.