Pollinator plant

Perennial Scabious

Scabiosa caucasica

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Common names

13 names · 8 languages
EnglishYour language
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • White Bonnets[1]
Other languages (7)
Dutch
  • Kaukasische scabiosa[2][3]
  • Schurftkruid
Finnish
  • kaukasiantörmäkukka[3]
German
  • Kaukasus-Grasskabiose[4]
Japanese
  • コーカサスマツムシソウ[3]
Russian
  • Ломелозия кавказская[3]
  • Скабиоза кавказская[3]
Slovak
  • hlaváčka kaukazská[3]
Swedish
  • höstvädd[3]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Lomelosia caucasica — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Perennial Scabious — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • Pincushion Flower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • White Bonnets — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Lomelosia caucasica.
[2] Lomelosia caucasica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Perennial Scabious — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • Caucasian Scabious — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • Kaukasische scabiosa — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
[3] Lomelosia caucasica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Perennial Scabious — results[17].names[1]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • Caucasian Scabious — results[17].names[2]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • Kaukasische scabiosa — results[17].names[8]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • kaukasiantörmäkukka — results[17].names[3]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • コーカサスマツムシソウ — results[17].names[4]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • Скабиоза кавказская — results[17].names[5]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • höstvädd — results[17].names[6]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • hlaváčka kaukazská — results[17].names[7]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
  • Ломелозия кавказская — results[17].names[9]; taxon id 334491; Lomelosia caucasica.
[4] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Lomelosia caucasica ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Kaukasus-Grasskabiose (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 152579; taxon 72MYF.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Catalogue of Life treats Scabiosa caucasica as a synonym of Lomelosia caucasica.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family
Caprifoliaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [2]
Mature height
0.46–0.61 m

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [3]
Mature spread
0.46–0.61 m

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [3]
Plant habit
Clumping; Mounding

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life.

Sources [3]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life.

Sources [3]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life.

Sources [3]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life.

Sources [3]
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life.

Sources [3]
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [3]
Flowering season
Autumn; Summer

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [3]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile, published as Lomelosia caucasica; accepted-name linkage follows Catalogue of Life. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [3]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Scabiosa species in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

Genus-level guidance, not a rating for this individual species or a particular cultivar. RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [4] [5] [6]
Native range
NE. Türkiye to Caucasus and NW. Iran.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [7]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

Perennial Scabious (Scabiosa caucasica) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from June to September.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Scabiosa caucasica — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 2450834; ID 6Y549; rank species; status synonym

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Lomelosia caucasica — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 2506578; ID 72MYF; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 2506578; ID 72MYF; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  3. NC State Extension Lomelosia caucasica — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Plants Of The World

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 2, column 1, entry Scabiosa species (top 307 pt)

    Source checked on .

  5. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 4, column 1, entry Scabiosa species (top 352 pt)

    Source checked on .

  6. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Garden Plants

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 4, column 2, entry Scabiosa species (top 712 pt)

    Source checked on .

  7. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Lomelosia caucasica — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 46165, 46172; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 760138, 760139, 760140, 760141

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.