Often seen swaying in the early-Autumn breeze amongst the brush, Scabiosa flowers offer a much more pleasing experience than their name may suggest. Scabiosa had originally been thought to cure scabies, and with ever-so-creative English, earned the name Scabiosa to reflect its curing powers.

Fortunately, Scabiosa’s structure lends it to have a friendlier nickname. Its needly, dense center resembles a pincushion, hence the nickname pincushion flower. Surrounding the cushiony center blossoms dainty, delicate petals, all perched atop a long wiry pistil. These frilly features offer a perfect landing for hummingbirds and butterflies -- plus, as a member of the honeysuckle family, they’re especially sweet with nectar and aroma.

Scabiosa come in a few color variations including white, lavender, deep purple, yellow, red and blue, making them a versatile stem to add into bouquets. In fact, Scabiosa fit perfectly tucked in between bigger blooms (like Ranunculus or Dahlias) to complete a rustic, whimsical arrangement. Even better, Scabiosas represent pure love and warmth, so giving one of these flowers shows your love and admiration for the recipient!

These wispy blooms appear in many Lilium arrangements, so you’ve definitely seen one even if you didn’t know it. They’ll continue to pop up in bouquets until their time runs out in winter, so enjoy their beauty while you can!

White scabiosa - see the green pincushion!