Get 10% Off Hummingbird plants with code HUMMINGBIRDS10
Skip to the content
SELECT SEEDS
Sweet Scabious 'Fire King'
Seed Packet

Sweet Scabious 'Fire King'

Scabiosa atropurpurea
Some flowers are incapable of disappointing us; scabiosa are among this cherished group. They bloom later in the summer than some, but how we appreciate the puff of rounded blooms, the beaded flower buds that slowly swell as the summer days shorten. A superb cut flower with fresh, spring green foliage.
SKU #S1577
$4.50
Details
Approximate Seeds Per Packet
88
Lifecycle
Annual
Annual Hardiness
Half Hardy Annual
Mature Size
2.5-3' h x 1.5' w
Sun
Full sun
Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained, neutral to alkaline pH
Season
Summer to fall
Color
Bright red
Features
Great Cut Flower
Deer Resistant
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Bees
Attracts Hummingbirds
Attracts Beneficial Insects
SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Surface sow to barely cover (about 1/16”).
Sprout Time:
5-15 days
Seed To Bloom:
16 weeks
Starting Indoors:
Start indoors in pots 4-5 weeks before last frost. Cover with a sprinkling of vermiculite or a humidity dome to aid germination and keep at 65-70°F.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow 2 weeks before last springtime frost.
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
After last frost.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Sweet scabious's honey-scented pincushion blooms and decorative beaded buds are the joy of mid-summer to fall gardens, for they look pristine just when earlier bloomers start to fade. Grow in the cutting and meadow garden, where butterflies will be frequent visitors. Pinch when setting out and support young plants with twiggy brush and deadhead often for continuing bloom.
Final Spacing:
1-1.5'
Water Requirements:
Medium Water Use
Watering Details:
About 1" per week, though it will tolerate some drought once established.
Soil pH:
Neutral to alkaline.
Fertilizer:
Mix in about 2-4" of compost prior to planting outside.
Diseases & Pests:
Avoid powdery mildew by spacing properly and in a location that has good air circulation.
When to Cut for Bouquets:
Harvest when several flowers on a stem are freshly open.