Knautia arvensis
Field Scabious
Species Details
Field Scabious is an attractive native perennial of unshaded limestone crags, unimproved grasslands and waysides, particularly on well-drained neutral to calcareous soils. Recently included in some wild flower seed mixtures used in restoration schemes, it is frequent throughout central parts, but is rare elsewhere [West Hallam SK4442; near Ticknall SK3624]. It was formerly more frequent, and even in the Peak District has been lost from 94% of its hay meadow sites between the mid 1980s and the mid 1990s (Buckingham XXet al. ????). At 365m, Derbyshire holds the UK altitude record for this species (Preston XXet al. 2002).
