Botanical Interests
Black Knight Scabiosa Pincushion Flower Seeds
Black Knight Scabiosa Pincushion Flower Seeds
Sixalix atropurpurea
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Product Details
Product Details
This almost-black beauty is equally at home in formal and cottage gardens. Scabiosa blooms for an exceptionally long time, is fairly drought tolerant, and is very attractive to bees and butterflies. Long stems are great for fresh cut flowers. Dried seed heads also add interest to flower arrangements. A top-notch garden cultivar since the 1600s when it was known as 'Blackmoor's Beauty' or 'Mournful Widow'.
Your hardiness zone is
- Variety Info
- Sowing Info
- Growing Info
Variety Info
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Native: Africa, Asia, Europe
Hardiness: Perennial in USDA zones 10 and warmer, although usually grown as an annual.
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Bloom Period: Summer to frost
Plant Dimensions: 18"–24" tall, 18" wide
Variety Info: Very dark burgundy flowers reveal contrasting white stigmas as flowers mature, resembling pincushions.
Attributes: Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Cut Flower, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 60°–70°F.
Sprouts in: 10–15 days
Plant Seeds (Depth): ⅛"
Space Seeds: A group of 3 seeds every 12"
Thinning: When 1" tall, thin to 1 every 12"
Growing Info
Harvesting: For longest vase life, harvest flowers in the morning, choosing blooms that have just begun to show good color but are not yet open.
- Emory M.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsAug 2, 2026Tall and leggy, definitely prefer a flower net but beautiful
I live in Georgia zone 8a and received these seeds in January so i was a bit worried they would get taken out by the heat but i decided to try and grow them anyways. I started them indoors in February and planted them in my flower bed in March and boy do they take a while to establish. Just when i had nearly forgotten about them they started BOLTING up to the sky in June just in time for our Summer thunderstorms and were immediately pummeled to the ground. Each of these plants grew to about 3 ft tall and put out copious gorgeous almost black blooms through July. These are well worth the effort but definitely need some support (netting is for sure the best)
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateEGEpic GardeningAug 4, 2026Hey Emery,
We're so happy to hear about your incredible experience with the Black Knight Scabiosa Pincushion Flower Seeds! What an amazing journey from January through the Georgia heat to those gorgeous almost black blooms in July. The fact that you stuck with them through the establishment phase and they rewarded you with such copious, stunning flowers is exactly the kind of growing story we love to hear about! And thanks for sharing that pro tip about using a flower net for support - that's super helpful feedback for other gardeners in similar climates dealing with those summer thunderstorms. Your dedication definitely paid off, and we're thrilled these beauties made it through and put on such an incredible show! Thanks for being part of the growing community with us. Keep on growing 🌻
- MeganVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsJul 25, 2026Your Patience will be Rewarded
I'm in zone 6b and started some of these by winter sowing and some indoors in a seed snail (ultimately hardening them off in a cold frame). The seed snail seedlings did the best for me. Once in the ground they took awhile to get established but by early July had leapt higher than my zinnias and produced little flower nubs that looked like the center of a black eyed Susan. By mid-July the first bloom had opened to spectacular effect! Rich, beautifully dark petals on incredibly long and sturdy stems - these are a real treat and I look forward to putting them in my bouquets through fall.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateEGEpic GardeningJul 28, 2026Hey Megan,
We're so happy to hear about your incredible experience with the Black Knight Scabiosa Pincushion Flower Seeds! Your patience absolutely paid off - those rich, beautifully dark petals on long and sturdy stems sound absolutely stunning! We love that you discovered the seed snail method worked best for your zone 6b setup, and that these gorgeous flowers ended up towering over your zinnias by early July! There's nothing better than a flower that rewards your care with such spectacular blooms perfect for fall bouquets! Thanks for sharing your Black Knight Scabiosa growing success and for being such a dedicated gardener! Keep on growing 🌻️
- CharityVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsJun 28, 2026Beautiful flowers!
Love these flowers, they’re so unique in color and shape. I started the seeds using the winter sowing method and they did really well. They did take longer to reach maturity than I expected, but it was fun to watch them grow. Now the plants are covered with beautiful blooms on nice long stem, perfect for bouquets! I will definitely be growing these again.
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerEGEpic GardeningJun 28, 2026Hey Charity,
We're so excited to hear about your beautiful Black Knight Scabiosa success! Those unique dark purple blooms really are something special, and it's awesome that you had such great results with the winter sowing method. We love that you enjoyed watching them grow even though they took their sweet time getting to maturity - sometimes the best things are worth the wait! It sounds like you ended up with the perfect cutting garden setup with those long stems for bouquets. Thanks for sharing your wonderful scabiosa growing experience with us! Keep on growing 🌻️
- Emily R.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsNov 22, 2025Glamorous & Tough
These flowers are a new love, beautiful & weird & resilient. Bounced back from being literally ground into the ground, still blooming into November.
Want even more next year.
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerEGEpic GardeningNov 24, 2025Hey Emily,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your photo and your experience with our Black Knight Scabiosa Pincushion Flower Seeds! We love that you've discovered a new favorite! It's incredible that they bounced back from being literally ground into the ground and kept blooming all the way into November. What tough little beauties! We're thrilled that you're already planning to grow even more next year - sounds like these glamorous pincushion flowers have truly won you over. Thanks for sharing your growing success with us. Keep on growing 🌻️
- JenniferRated 5 out of 5 starsSep 26, 20245 Stars
Beautiful flower that brings in the bees! Started indoors in the winter and bloomed outside by mid-May in San Diego County. Color varies from almost black to a ruby red depending on how the sun hits it. Butterflies also enjoy this flower which got to be almost 3 feet tall in my garden. I grew this with a pink scabiosa variety and it was a nice combination for the garden.
Which best describes you as a gardener? Intermediate
