Knautia arvensis

Knautia arvensis, also known as the Field knautia or Field scabious, produces head-like flowers that resemble fluffy balls of light lilac-blue colour. It is a tall perennial with a slightly loose habit, but a light appearance, with stems emerging from a basal rosette of greyish-green leaves. It quickly establishes itself in the garden and readily self-seeds, although not excessively. Simple and hardy, loved by bees and butterflies, it has the charm and robustness of wild plants. Perfect in a flowery meadow, in a rustic flower bed, in full sun or partial shade, it shows good resistance to drought once established.

Knautia arvensis belongs to the family of honeysuckles or teasels according to the old classification. This plant is native to Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Caucasus. It has naturalized in certain regions of North America. In the wild, it often grows on limestone soils, in meadows or at the edge of woodlands. When in flower, it forms an erect clump, with a slightly loose habit, reaching a height of 80cm (32in), at least, with a diameter of 40cm (16in). This perennial forms a basal rosette of hairy, deeply lobed leaves, greyish-green in colour, evergreen in winter, lyre-shaped, from which numerous flexible, highly branched flowering stems emerge. The flowering period is from June to September-October, depending on the climate. An established plant produces around a hundred flower heads each summer. The stems are adorned with a few simple, pinnatifid leaves and bear spherical heads of small pale blue-purple flowers, with a diameter of 2 to 4cm (1 to 2in). The flowering is followed by the formation of very decorative seed heads. Like all scabious, it is a bee-friendly and nectar-rich plant. It is a short-lived perennial, but it readily self-seeds in light soil.

In a flowery meadow, in beds of perennials with more sophisticated flowers, or in herbaceous borders, the Field Scabious enhances all other plants, with its small flowers that seem to be suspended in the air. Its slightly gangly habit necessitates growing this plant among others, more upright, which will provide support. It will benefit from being planted at the back of a border, leaning against shrubs such as Abelias, Kolwitzia amabilis 'Pink Cloud', Deutzias... For example, associate it with hybrid mulleins, 'Canon Went' toadflax, medium-sized perennial grasses (Stipa, Eragrostis, small Miscanthus...). Another idea for an association: with Aster turbinellus or Coreopsis 'Moonbeam'. Its delicate flowers are well-suited for the composition of country-style bouquets.