Growing Blue Note Scabiosa Garden Seeds
- Taxonomy: Scabiosa columbaria
- Seed Type: Perennial
- Sow Indoors or Outdoors: For early blooming, start Blue Note scabiosa seeds indoors 8 – 10 weeks before final frost date. Seeds will germinate in 14 – 21 days. Once germinated, move to fluorescent grow light until two sets of true leaves have developed. Transplant seedlings to indoor container or pot and harden off if transplanting outside. Scabiosa seeds can also be sown directly once the frost has passed, but blooming will occur late into the season.
- Days to Maturity: 91 – 105 days
- Hardiness Zone: 5 – 9
- Planting Depth: Lightly cover 3 – 4 seeds in soil
- Plant Spacing: 12"
- Growth Habit: 8 – 10” dwarf mound with 10 – 12” spread and bushy 2” pom-pom blooms
- Soil Preference: Average, medium moist, well-drained
- Light Preference: Full sun – partial shade
- Diseases/Pests/Troubleshooting: Blue Note scabiosa thrives in well-drained soil and can be susceptible to leaf spots, mold, and stem rot. Avoid overhead watering by watering soil directly to minimize wetting foliage. Scabiosa will benefit from partial shade during severe summers. No serious pests or diseases, but monitor regularly for aphids and whiteflies.
- Color: Shades of lavender, purple, and thistle-blue
For early blooming, start Blue Note scabiosa seeds indoors 8 – 10 weeks before final frost date. Scabiosa seeds will germinate in 14 – 21 days. Once germinated, move to fluorescent grow light until two sets of true leaves have developed. Transplant Blue Note scabiosa seedlings to indoor container or pot and harden off if transplanting outside. Scabiosa seeds can also be sown directly once the frost has passed, but blooming will occur late into the season. For direct sowing, lightly cover 3 – 4 Blue Note scabiosa seeds in soil with 12” apart in average, medium moist, and well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Blue Note seeds thrive in well-drained soil. Scabiosa can be susceptible to leaf spots, mold, and stem rot. Avoid overhead watering by watering soil directly to minimize wetting foliage. Plants will benefit from partial shade during severe summers. Scabiosa has no serious pests or diseases, but monitor regularly for aphids and whiteflies. Blue Note scabiosa seeds mature in 91 – 105 days days as 8 – 10” dwarf mounds with 10 – 12” spreads and bushy 2” lavender, purple, and thistle-blue pom-pom blooms.
Scabiosa columbaria is a nectar-rich variety attractive to many insects including bees, butterflies, and the six-spot burnet moth. The genus Scabiosa contains about 80 species primarily native to the Mediterranean but also found throughout moderate regions of Europe, Africa, Asia, and as far-reaching as Japan.