Scabiosa ‘It’s a Cracker’

A new and improved form of Scabiosa ‘Little Cracker’, S. ‘It’s a Cracker’has a show stopping number of flowers.

• Very hardy clump forming perennial
• Any well drained soils
• Prefers sun but will grow in shade
• The leaves at the base are divided and shining green and become more silvery to grey/green as the stems lengthen
• Flowers small and round, white to pale creamy yellow
• Appear in June and keep coming
• Stems can be cut for the house just as the first florets in the flowerhead are opening
• Attracts so many bees and butterflies and yet still small enough for  pots/containers
• Regular dead-heading or cutting will increase the power of flowers on the plant throughout the summer
• In containers partner S. ‘It’s a Cracker’ with other flowers in pastel shades and with contrasting foliage

Posted by Graham Rice on 25 Nov 2013 

Scabiosa is well known as long flowering perennials, and for being fine valuable not only for their flowers but for the fact that they attract so many bees and butterflies.

Until recently, those with cream flowers have tended to be much taller than those in the many other colours which have come on the market in recent years but now there’s a variety which is small enough for containers.

Little Cracker has flowers in the familiar scabrous style but opening to white from cream buds. The first blooms appear in June and keep coming until the frosts and although the plants are a little taller than some other recent introductions, at 50cm they are small enough for containers and large enough to make an impact in the border.

Developed by British plant breeder Peter Moore, better known for his shrubs which include Choisya White Dazzler, S. Little Cracker enjoys full sun and a well-drained soil.

It’s especially happy on the kind of chalky soil that so many perennials find hard to take.

Stems can be cut for the house, cut them just as the first florets in the flower head are opening; the stems may need re-cutting after a few days to keep the flowers fresh.

Regular dead-heading, or cutting, will increase the flower power of flowers on the plant all through summer.

http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/blogs/graham_rice/archive/2013/11/25/scabious-little-cracker-new-from-binny-plants.aspx