Scabiosa atropurpurea Oxford Blue Seeds - Sweet Scabious

The 'Oxford Blue' Organic Annual Scabiosa is a variety of Scabiosa atropurpurea, grown as an annual. With its rustic, subtle and graceful appearance, it brings lightness to flower beds with tightly packed pompom flowers in a vibrant blue-violet. Flowering from July to October, this scabiosa is beloved by a multitude of pollinators. With its long stems and long-lasting flowers, it is perfect for creating beautiful bouquets and adds a lot of charm to slightly wild gardens.

Scabiosa atropurpurea 'Oxford Blue' belongs to the Caprifoliaceae or Dipsacaceae family, depending on the classification. The species is native to southern Europe. This plant develops from a deep and extensive root system. It is often grown as an annual, although it is actually a short-lived perennial. Its base consists of a tuft of lanceolate leaves, more or less divided depending on the species, from which long, slender, hairy stems (from 50 cm to 90 cm) emerge. As you move up the stem, the leaves are sessile, divided, and progressively smaller until reaching the flower head. The flower head is always spherical (4 to 5 cm) with prominent stamens, like pompom, which earned it the nickname "Pincushion Flower". However, its shape also varies depending on the species: it can be very round, dense, and bristly or more flattened, with silky and crumpled petals, as in the 'Oxford Blue' variety.

It is best to have scabiosas in small groups, scattered among grasses or larger flowers, to bring a touch of colour, like a scattering of confetti in flower beds. Pick them to encourage more flowers or let them for winter decoration. They may self-seed.

The gentle colour of the 'Oxford Blue' Organic Scabiosa harmonises beautifully with centaureas, cosmos, love-in-a-mist, poppies, and delphiniums, creating a nostalgic atmosphere in the garden. Easy to grow and generously flowering, it brings life to the garden, responding to gentle breezes and serving as a food source for butterflies and other pollinating insects. It is easy to mix different seeds to quickly create a small flower meadow or fill a slightly wild slope.