Knautia

( NAW - tee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This flowering herbaceous perennial grows best in full sun when given regular water and are great in cottage or wild looking gardens. They are considered 'meadow' plants, and are easy-care additions to any garden. They are wonderful, playful additions to cut flower arrangements, as well. 

Knautia Species and Varietals

The genus Knautia is a member of the plant family Caprifoliaceae and includes 55 species. Kautia grows best in zones 2-10 and 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Knautia arvensis (Blue Buttons, Field Scabious)
This plant is native to Europe, the Mediterranean and the Caucuses and reaches 1-5 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. Flowers are blue and bloom in the summertime. They are commonly found on roadsides and in field margins, and love growing in disturbed soils. 

Knautia drymeia (Hungarian Widow Flower)
This species is native to central and southeastern Europe, and was first formally described in 1856 by Austrian botanist Johann Heuffel. Flowers can be scarlet, red, purple, pink or (rarely) white and bloom from June through September.

Knautia macedonia
This native of Central Europe grows 1.5-3 feet tall and just as wide. Flowers are deep maroon and bloom in summer and fall. Reseeds somewhat freely. Varieties include 'Mars Midget' (16 inches tall with crimson flowers) and those in the Melton Pastels group, which grow to 1.5 to 3 feet tall and about half as wide; flowers come in blue, mauve, pink, rose, salmon-pink, and crimson and bloom in late spring through fall.

Caring for Knautia

Propagation

Problems and Pests

Gallery

Camellias are great candidates to be grown as container plants on your patio.
A field of thea sinensis
Camellia hiemalis 'Shishi Gashira'

Videos

A video all about growing camellias successfully
Propagating camellias

Resources

Wikipedia: Knautia
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 393, Knautia
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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