Scabiosa columbaria

FamilyGenus: Scabiosanative in Germany

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Species

interact

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1442

Interactions

documented

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Host relationships

Species

About this species

A sun-loving native wildflower that thrives in dry, lean, alkaline soils and rewards with a long season of nectar-rich blooms from midsummer well into autumn.

Ecological network

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PollinationLarval hostFlower visit

Ecological significance

The flowers offer a high combined nectar and pollen reward, rated 5 out of 5 for both, making this plant a valuable resource for a wide range of insect visitors. Its arbuscular mycorrhizal partnerships help it inhabit nutrient-poor soils and can benefit the wider soil community.

Annual cycle

Bloom period extends from July through to November, providing a sustained source of forage late in the year.

Standort & Merkmale

Light

Sonne

Moisture

Trocken

Soil

Schwachzehrer (Magerer Boden)

Flowering period

Jul – Nov

Soil reaction

Basisch / Kalkhold

Bioregion

Continental

Nectar value

Pollen value

Growth form

Krautige Pflanze

Woodiness

Nicht verholzt

Leaf type

Breitblättrig

Plant height

0.397 m

Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)

Pflege & Anbau

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Light: Full sun

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Moisture: Dry, well-drained soil; drought-tolerant once established

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Soil: Lean, low-nutrient, alkaline to neutral

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Mycorrhiza: Associates with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; avoid high-phosphate fertilisers

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Maintenance: No feeding required; suitable for gravel gardens, wildflower meadows and sunny banks

Scientific profile

Scabiosa columbaria is a herbaceous, non-woody, broad-leaved plant of open, sunny habitats. Typically reaching about 0.4 metres in height, it performs best on dry, calcareous substrates with very low nutrient availability and only minor disturbance. The plant produces diaspores with an average mass of 1.7 mg. It is native in Great Britain.

Pollinators & visitors

86 Arten interagieren mit dieser Pflanze

Bombus terrestrisBombus lapidariusZygaena loniceraeVanessa carduiHelophilus trivittatusVolucella bombylansCeratina cucurbitinaEristalis arbustorumBombus pascuorumBombus gr. terrestrisEristalis tenaxBombus vestalisAnthidium punctatumHalictus scabiosaeBombus lucorumCoelioxys conoideusLasioglossum nitidulumSericomyia silentisSyritta pipiensEpisyrphus balteatusPlatycheirus albimanusSyrphus ribesiiLasioglossum calceatumBombus pratorumSphaerophoria scriptaEristalis pertinaxHalictus gr. simplexVolucella inanisEristalis nemorumPipiza austriacaLasioglossum malachurumDasysyrphus albostriatusLasioglossum morioEupeodes lunigerLasioglossum fulvicorneSeladonia tumulorumAndrena hattorfianaCeratina cyaneaLasioglossum leucozoniumRhingia campestrisBombus hortorumBombus terrestris/lucorumBombus rupestrisBombus bohemicusBombus sylvestrisBombus barbutellusEristalis interruptusLasioglossum albipesApis.melliferaAphantopus hyperantus

Host relationships

2 species use this plant as a host

Euphydryas auriniaHeliothis viriplaca

Other flower visitors

10 other species visit the flowers

Adscita/Jodanita spBombylidaeMelitaea athalia/britomartisPyrgus alveus/armoricanusTryphoninaeCriorhina floccosaCylindromyia brevicornisNowickia feroxLavathera lavatheraeLucilia illustris

Sources & data origin

•Cook et al. (2025) UK Butterfly & Moth Traits (DOI: 10.5285/dbc7cc17-cbbd-49dd-bab4-8e8855768d66)

•pollinator_interactions

•FloraWeb / BfN

•EIVE 1.0 — Dengler et al. (2023), DOI: 10.3897/VCS.98324 (CC BY 4.0)

•EuPPollNet — Kuppler et al. (2025), DOI: 10.1111/geb.70000 (CC BY 4.0)

•Database of Pollinator Interactions (DoPI) — Pocock et al. (2022), DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3801 (CC BY)

•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)

•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)

•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)

•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)

•Foto: © Adobe Stock / AdobeStock_856358640

All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →