Scabiosa Butterfly Blue Rooted Cutting Liner

Scabiosa Columbaria Butterfly Blue (also known as Pincushion Flower) is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. This perennial flower is commonly grown in borders, along walkways, in cut flower gardens, and in containers. It does well in full sun and attracts pollinators. Butterfly Blue blooms April to first frost with blue-lavendar flowers that are 2-3 inches wide. The shorter size of this dwarf Scabiosa variety makes it a great choice for the middle of borders or mixed containers. Pincushion Flower pairs well with its pink counterpart, Scabiosa Pink Mist, as well as Gaillardia Sunrita Peach, Gaillardia Barbican Red, Leucanthemum Lucille Grace, Coreopsis Auriculata Nana, Beardtongues, and Stonecrop.

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Butterfly Blue Selling Tips

Sell Butterfly Blue to your customers who are looking for an easy to grow, long-blooming flower for a mixed container or border. This plant offers many benefits. It is a dwarf variety with a mounding habit and reaches 10-24 inches tall and 18-24 inches wide, making it a great flower for the middle of borders and containers. Pincushion Flower also lends whimsy and color along walkways, or in vases as a cut flower. Despite the smaller size of the plant within the species, the lavender-blue flowers reach 2-3 inches in diameter, packing a lot of color into a small space! Butterfly Blue does well in full sun and attracts pollinators with flowers that bloom from April to first frost. It is drought, shade, and deer tolerant and low-maintenance.

Coach your customer:

1. Plant in well-drained soil in full sun 10-12 inches apart. Water regularly the first year to help establish a healthy root system. Give plants plenty of space for airflow to prevent disease.
2. Deadhead flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Cut back after the first hard frost and remove all debris. Divide plants every few years.
3. Look for slugs and spider mites as well as botrytis and powdery mildew.

General Growing Tips For Your Rooted Cutting Liner

For best results with Butterfly Blue, use well-drained soil in full sun with 100-125 ppm constant feed and a pH of 6.0-6.4. This plant may require chemical growth regulators, although giving plants enough space and not over-fertilizing is often sufficient to keep them from stretching tall. Plant one plug per 4-inch pot. We recommend spacing containers 4-6 inches apart for airflow and light penetration. You may see slugs, aphids, whiteflies, or spider mites. With too much moisture, Scabiosa can be susceptible to botrytis and powdery mildew.

Flowering

Butterfly Blue flowers from April to first frost. Deadhead to encourage continuous blooming.

Pinching

This plant does not require pinching.

Spacing

Space plants 4-6 inches apart for airflow and light penetration.

Height Control

You may need chemical growth regulators for this plant, although adequate space and not over-fertilizing is often sufficient to keep it from stretching tall. Use 2,500 PPM daminozide, 5 PPM uniconazole, or 30 PPM paclobutrazol if needed; apply once or twice about 7-10 days apart.

Pests

You may see slugs, aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites. The latter is the most troublesome for this plant, although none tend to cause significant damage to it.

Disease

Look out for botrytis and powdery mildew. They're both likely to occur with this plant if it is excessively moist. Prevent disease by spacing plants for sufficient airflow, watering in the morning to allow the plant to dry out before cooler nighttime temperatures, and allowing the plant to dry out before it's watered again. This plant may also respond well to a preventative fungicide drench after transplanting.

Planting Butterfly Blue Liners

1. We recommend planting 1 starter plants per 4-inch pot or gallon. Use a well-drained soil in your containers
2. Plant your starter plants deep, allowing the ellepot to be completely covered by the soil, but do not burry the crown of the plant.
3. Plant it directly in the middle of your pot.
4. Prevent disease by spacing plants for sufficient airflow, watering in the morning to allow the plant to dry out before cooler nighttime temperatures, and allowing the plant to dry out before it's watered again.

Rooted Cuttings

Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.

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Scabiosa Butterfly Blue Quick Reference Guide

4 Inch crop time	8-9 Weeks
Bloom Period	Fall, Spring, Summer
Color	Lavender,Blue
Habit	Mounding
Height	10-24 inches
Light	Full Sun
Minimum Temp	60
Perennial Zone	Zones 3-10
Water Needs	Light
Patented Plant	No