Caucasian scabious 'Fama'

Questions about caucasian scabious 'Fama'

Does caucasian scabious 'Fama' need sun or shade?

Caucasian scabious 'Fama' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does caucasian scabious 'Fama' grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 9. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does caucasian scabious 'Fama' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to early September. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should caucasian scabious 'Fama' be planted?

16 in (40 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many caucasian scabious 'Fama' plants do I need?

At 16 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 7 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 8 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 21 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used three in one group.

Is caucasian scabious 'Fama' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like caucasian scabious 'Fama'?

Caucasian scabious 'Fama' comes from North East Turkey to the Caucasus Mountains and Northern Iran. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Coneflower 'Green Jewel': the same job in a bed, the same size and the same flowering time; green, not blue.
• Gloriosa daisy: the same job in a bed and the same flowering time; 4 in taller, yellow, orange or red, not blue.
• Common blanket flower: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same flowering time; yellow, not blue, wants dry soil.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat caucasian scabious 'Fama'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after caucasian scabious 'Fama'?

Caucasian scabious 'Fama' is over by early September. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall.
• Bottle gentian: from late August to early October, 20 in tall.
• October daphne: from mid September to late October, 8 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does caucasian scabious 'Fama' look like in winter?

Caucasian scabious 'Fama' dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.

Is caucasian scabious 'Fama' good for bees and butterflies?

Caucasian scabious 'Fama' is visited by pollinators, bees and butterflies.