Seasonal Wild Flowers

Giant Scabious

Cephalaria gigantea

Dipsacaceae

June to October

It is thinly shinly scattered throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Giant Scabious

It is a neophyte which has been grown in UK gardens

since the 1750s and noted as naturalised in the

1920s.

It grows in rough grassland and waste ground, and

by roads, railways and rivers.

It is increasing.

Giant Scabious is a rhizomatous, perennial herb,

growing up to 2m.

Flowerheads are up to 10cm across, light yellow

to bleached white.

Outer florets have 4 larger and unequal petals, and

inner florets have 4 equal petals.

Flowers are protandrous (stamens appearing before

the styles).

Leaves are pinnately lobed.

Stems are robust and the rhizomes promote persistence.

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Giant Scabious Kingcombe, Dorset

Flowerhead - outer florets open

Inner and outer florets open

Anthers

Inner florets - linear stigmas

Fruits

Leaves