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Cephalaria gigantea

Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
in Plants
Planning my long border for next year, and am introducing some new plants, and taking out some old (the lupins all suffered so badly with aphids this year, I think most have had it; the nerines are coming out, as after 4-5 years, they are still pretty ropey; some of the echinacea have run out of steam, as have some monarda... maybe they have a 'life' of 4-5 years...?).

Anyway, I'm keen to put in some verbena bonariensis, as I've seen it thriving in gardens all over the place, even during the hottest weather, and was wondering if anyone has grown cephalaria gigantea, a sort of giant scabious. If so, would it go well with vb? And how is the colour? Some pictures of it look very yellow, others show it as a creamy white...


Lincolnshire
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  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited August 2022
    @Janie B I would say the flower colour is more of a Lemon. It is tall and beautiful but flowering time would not be as long as V bonariensis Not sure of timings but it may have finished flowering before the verbena really gets going?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Creamy yellow, not really that long flowering - more an early summer plant. The brown spent flower stemslook OK but in a typical garden you probably want to cut them down after flowering. You could combine them with something that would take over the space after you cut them down - asters maybe? In a small garden I would go for Scabiosa ochroleuca instead, it's less of a hefty plant and more floaty and etheral, and much longer flowering.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    Thanks, @Loxley. Scabiosa ochroleuca look very yellow, would prefer a white, I think. Maybe Scabiosa Atropupurea 'Snowmaiden'? Never grown them before, but Chilterns say they are 'easy-to-grow', so here's hoping!
    Lincolnshire
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    No, they're very pale - similar to Cephalaria gigantea. They sort of bob and weave through other plants.


    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    Ooh, they look lovely, thanks. They're going on the list. Think you recommended something to me years ago, @Loxley I'm going to see if I can find it...!
    Lincolnshire
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    Got it! In June 2020 you recommended I sow Ageratum Blue Horizon, which I have done for the last couple of years. a lovely plant, thanks!
    Lincolnshire
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I grew scabious and verbena together this summer and they looked fantastic.  People kept telling me how clever I was but it was more an accident than anything else. Verbena seeds itself like a weed and the plants were all crowded together in a sort of drift. Lovely. 
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Cephalaria gigantea needs a big space, about a metre across.  It does better in free draining soil than in clay. It grows to about 6ft and the bees love it but it is over by the end of June, and then you can cut it down. The coilour goes well with big alliums like purple rain.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    All Scabious are short lived on a clay soil.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    Hmmm think I'll go for @Loxley's smaller ochroleucra as it seems to have a longer flowering season (and I'm not sure my bed can cope with something that large... the echinops already take up so much space...)

    ... do you know which ones you planted @Posy ? 
    Lincolnshire
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