Botanical name: Centaurea scabiosa   
Folk names: Hardheads, flower of the centaurs

Type: Perennial

Wildlife: Rich in nectar for butterflies and bees. Seed-heads provide food for goldfinches in winter.

Flowers: July to August

Decorative merit: Large, purple-crimson flower-heads made up of many overlapping bracts, on tall stems. When the seed has gone, creamy-silver fringed cups are left for winter interest. Grows into a tall and wide clump.

Where: Sun or part-shade. Middle of borders or mini-meadows (stems may need support if not propped up by surrounding plants).

Folklore: Flowers were used by young girls for love-divination, picking off the petals one by one. Centaur Chiron used the plant to cure a poison arrow wound shot by Hercules.

Daisy family relative of ox-eye daisy and yarrow.

Donate seeds to Exeter Seed Bank