Guide to growing garden plants - Cephalaria (Scabious)
Cephalaria is a hardy perennial. It is large and can flower up to 2m in height.
Cephalaria has the common name of Scabious.
It flowers in the summer with yellow cup-shaped flowers.
As it is a large plant Cephalaria should be grown at the back of borders.
How to grow Scabious - Cephalaria
If planning to grow Cephalaria outdoors from seeds, then they should be sowed at a depth of 7mm in the spring. they prefer a partially shaded or sunny area of the garden that has moist soil. if planning to first grow Scabious seedlings indoors then they should be started towards the end of winter. They take around three to eight weeks to germinate at about 15 degrees Celsius. Seeds that do not germinate can be advanced by subjecting them to three weeks or so in a refrigerator. Scabious should be planted outside with a spacing of about 60 to 80cm.
Caring for Cephalaria
Cephalaria are easy to look after but do require regular watering. Due to their height Cephalaria plants should be staked in windy areas. Once flowering has finished they should be cut back, and every three years the plant should be divided; dividing the plant is also a good way of producing more Cephalaria plants and should be done in the spring.