


Knautia will die back completely in the winter and come back to life in the spring to bloom again in early summer. The tall stems topped by small pincushion flowers sway in the wind and attract many beneficial pollinators. The flowers bloom from early summer through fall, bringing in butterflies and moths. Most varieties feature domed flower heads that sit atop slender, branching stems and deep green foliage at the base of the plant. Some varieties of the Knautia macedonica plant, such as Thunder and Lightning, have variegated foliage which makes them stand out in the garden. Although individual plants don’t last for many growing seasons they will generously self-seed and new plants will spring up year after year. Knautia macedonica is a short-lived perennial, usually lasting between 2-3 years. Knautia macedonica common names include widow flower, field scabious, and pincushion flowers.Īlso known as Macedonian scabious, Knautia grows as a native in Southeastern Europe, including North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Turkey. We’ll be focusing on the Knautia macedonica plant since it is the most common and widely available in garden centers. Knautia plants come in many different varieties and species, such as Knautia macedonica, K. Widow flower, Field scabious, Pincushion flowers, Macedonian scabiousĪll About Knautia Plants Knautia plants in a field. Quick Care Guide Knautia macedonica ‘Mars Midget’. At the end of the growing season, leave the last round of spent flowers standing as a wintertime snack for the birds who love these seeds! It makes a lovely and attractive natural feeder for birds. Outside of this, if you promptly remove spent flowers, you can encourage an additional bloom. The only real drawback to this plant is in extremely hot climates, it may stop producing flowers during the peak summer heat. They aren’t as long-lived as other perennials, but despite that, they’re well suited to amateurs’ full-sun cottage gardens, and readily self-seed for years to come. It’s easy to care for, with few pests/diseases and is generally a great choice.
Knautia thunder and lightning full#
Its flowers are not only pleasing to the eye, but they are also attractive to a variety of pollinators, including butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees! The flowers also deserve a prized position in your cut flower bouquets.įind a full sun area in your garden, water regularly until established and Knautia macedonica will thrive! This is a great starter perennial plant for most beginner gardeners. The Knautia plant is known for its long blooming time, which begins in early summer and into the fall until the first average frost date. Like Scabiosas, Knautia is deer-resistant! In fact, it’s a close enough relative of scabiosa that it was previously named Scabiosa rumelica. The Knautia macedonica plant, aka Knautia (pronounced “naughty-ah”) is a relative of scabiosa and produces domed, purplish-red flowers in the garden.
