Plant in sun or part shade with moderate to very little irrigation. Cold hardy to 20° F. A great little easy care mounding shrub with dark green almost plastic looking foliage. The flowers are a nectar source for butterflies.

Scabiosa farinosa comes from the hot mediterranean climate of northeaster Algeria into Tunisia in northern Africa. The name for the genus comes from the Latin word 'scabiosus' that means "mangy", "rough" or "itchy" in reference to the Scabiosa herb's traditional use to treat scabies, an illness that causes a severe itching sensation. The specific epithet means "mealy" or "powdery" but we are not sure how this name applies to this species as the foliage is glabrous and dark green. The genus was long included in the teasel family, the Dipsacaceae, but are now included as the subfamily Dipsacoideae within the large oneysuckle family, the Caprifoliaceae.

We first received this great plant from UCSB biology greenhouse manager John Bleck in 1988 and have been growing this charming plant ever since. 

The information about Scabiosa farinosa displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.