Plant Library

perennial

Giant Yellow Scabious*

Cephalaria gigantea

Add To My Wish List

 
Giant Yellow Scabious (Cephalaria gigantea) at Kennedy's Country Gardens

Giant Yellow Scabious flowers

Giant Yellow Scabious flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

* This is a "special order" plant - contact store for details

Plant Height:  4 feet

Flower Height:  6 feet

Spread:  4 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  3a

Description:

Sun loving buttery yellow, pincushion flowers stand tall above dark green, pinnate foliage; vigorous upright habit, excellent for large garden beds; low maintenance and easy to grow; can be pruned in fall to maintain shape

Ornamental Features

Giant Yellow Scabious features airy buttery yellow pincushion flowers at the ends of the stems from early to mid summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its pointy pinnately compound leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Giant Yellow Scabious is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Giant Yellow Scabious is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Giant Yellow Scabious will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity extending to 6 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

 

* This is a "special order" plant - contact store for details

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Garden 
Applications
Flowers 
Ornamental Features