Family: Caprifoliaceae
Author: (L.) Coult.
Bibliography: Mém. Dipsac.: 29 (1823)
Year: 1823
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Knautia
Vegetable: False
Observations: Europe to Siberia and N. Caucasus
Description
Field-scabious, scientifically known as Knautia arvensis, is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Caprifoliaceae family. This plant is esteemed for its delicate, lavender-blue flowers and its ability to thrive across a wide geographical range, from Europe to Siberia and the Northern Caucasus.
Characterized by its distinctive inflorescence, Field-scabious bears globular clusters of small flowers atop sturdy, slender stems. These flowers typically bloom from late spring to early autumn, offering a lengthy display that is particularly attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The leaves of Knautia arvensis are deeply lobed and covered in fine hairs, contributing to the plant’s rustic charm.
The genus Knautia, named in honor of the 17th-century German botanist Christian Knaut, has a historical significance, with Field-scabious first documented in the early 19th century as noted in the publication “Mém. Dipsac.: 29 (1823)” by Coult. Despite its humble appearance, this plant plays an important role in its native habitats. It not only supports biodiversity by providing nectar for insects but also serves as a larval food source for several species of butterflies.
Field-scabious prefers well-drained soils and can often be found in meadows, pastures, and along roadsides. Its ability to adapt to different soil types and environmental conditions makes it a resilient addition to wildflower gardens and naturalized landscapes.
In addition to its ecological contributions, Field-scabious has been used in traditional medicine, particularly in Europe, where it was historically employed for its supposed healing properties. Although not commonly used in modern herbalism, the plant’s legacy as a medicinal herb persists in folklore.
Overall, Knautia arvensis not only enhances the aesthetic value of the landscapes it inhabits with its charming blooms but also plays a vital role in supporting local ecosystems, making it a noteworthy species in both horticulture and conservation.
Common Names
Deu: acker-witwenblume, wiesen-witwenblume
Eng: bluebuttons, field scabiosa, field-scabious, gypsy’s-rose, field scabious, blue buttons, bluecaps, gypsy’s rose
Dan: blåhat
Nld: beemdkroon
Swe: ketoruusuruoho, åkervädd
Fin: ketoruusuruoho
Fra: knautie des champs, scabieuse des champs
Nno: raudknapp
Nob: rødknapp
Nor: rødknapp, scabios, scabos
Sme: ruvsosuoidni
Cym: bennlas, clafrllys, clafrllys mwyaf, clafrllys y maes, clafrllys yr ŷd, clais, penlas, penlas y ddôl, pincas brenhines mair
En: Field-scabious, Gypsy’s-rose, Bluebuttons, Field scabiosa, Field Scabious, Blue buttons, Bluecaps, Gypsy’s rose
Ba: Ҡутырбаш
Be: Паўночнік палявы
Bg: Полско черноглавче
Ca: Vídua borda, Escabiosa borda
Zh: 田野孀草
Kw: Penn glas
Hr: Poljska prženica
Cs: Chrastavec rolní
Da: Almindelig Bløhat, Almindelig Blåhat, Blåhat
Nl: Beemdkroon
Et: Harilik äiatar
Fi: Ketoruusuruoho, Ruusuruoho
Fr: Scabieuse des champs, Knautie des champs, Langue-de-vache, Oreille-d’âne, Oreille-de-lièvre
De: Wiesen-Witwenblume, Acker-Witwenblume, Feld-Witwenblume, Wiesen-Knautie
Hu: Mezei varfű
Ga: Cab an ghasáin
It: Ambretta comune
Kk: Егістік қатпаргүл
Lt: Dirvinė buožainė
Se: Ruvsosuoidni
No: Raudknapp, Rødknapp, Scabios, Scabos
Nb: Rødknapp
Nn: Raudknapp
Pl: Świerzbnica polna
Ru: Короставник полевой
Sr: Poljska prženica
Sk: Chrastavec roľný
Es: Njivsko grabljišče, Escabiosa oficinal
Sv: Åkervädd, Ketoruusuruoho
Zh-tw: 歐洲山蘿蔔
Uk: Свербіжниця польова
Cy: Clafrllys y maes, Bennlas, Clafrllys, Clafrllys Mwyaf, Clafrllys yr Ŷd, Clais, Penlas, Penlas y Ddôl, Pincas Brenhines Mair
Synonyms
- Knautia neglecta (F.Meurer)
- Knautia arvensis var. ligerina (Tourlet)
- Knautia arvensis var. involucrata ((Sennen) O.Bolòs & Vigo)
- Trichera communis (Čelak.)
- Knautia pseudolongifolia ((Szabó) Zmuda)
- Trichera arvensis subsp. pannonica ((Heuff.) Soják)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. serrata (Wimm. & Grab.)
- Trichera dumetorum ((Heuff.) Nyman)
- Trichera virgata (Nyman)
- Trichera trivialis (Nyman)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. laciniata (Gaudin)
- Knautia dumetorum (Heuff.)
- Knautia bosniaca ((Conrath) Beck)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. flosculosa (Gaudin)
- Knautia arvensis var. pseudolongifolia (Szabó)
- Trichera arvensis var. isantha (Neuman)
- Scabiosa pratensis (F.W.Schmidt)
- Knautia arvensis var. glandulifera (W.D.J.Koch)
- Knautia pseudolongifolia var. pinnatifolia (Sennen)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. heterophylla (Boenn.)
- Knautia arvensis f. monstruosa (Bolzon)
- Knautia rigidiuscula var. veneta (Beck)
- Columbaria pratensis (Fourr.)
- Scabiosa timeroyi ((Jord.) Fourr.)
- Trichera arvensis var. agrestis ((F.W.Schmidt) Roem. & Schult.)
- Scabiosa canescens (DC.)
- Succisa arvensis ((L.) Raf.)
- Trichera timeroyi ((Jord.) Nyman)
- Trichera exaltata ((Schur) Nyman)
- Knautia arvensis subsp. pannonica ((Heuff.) O.Schwartz)
- Trichera bohemica ((F.W.Schmidt) Nyman)
- Knautia arvensis subsp. meridionalis ((Briq.) O.Bolòs & Vigo)
- Scabiosa varia (Gilib.)
- Trichera arvensis subsp. pseudolongifolia ((Szabó) Holub)
- Trichera arvensis var. integrifolia (Rupr.)
- Knautia arvensis var. alboi ((Sennen) O.Bolòs & Vigo)
- Knautia arvensis var. vulgaris (Coult.)
- Knautia arvensis subsp. serpentinicola (Smejkal)
- Scabiosa arvensis (L.)
- Scabiosa officinarum-arvensis (Crantz)
- Trichera indivisa ((Boreau) Nyman)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. pinnatifida (Wimm. & Grab.)
- Knautia budensis (Borbás)
- Knautia cousturieri (Sennen & Szabó)
- Knautia campestris ((Andrz. ex Besser) Fritsch)
- Knautia bohemica ((F.W.Schmidt) Willk.)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. hybrida (Mérat)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. simpliciflora (Lej.)
- Knautia indivisa (Boreau)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. homoiphylla (Boenn.)
- Scabiosa montana (Mill.)
- Trichera arvensis ((L.) Schrad. ex Roem. & Schult.)
- Knautia hirsuta ((Lapeyr.) Breistr.)
- Knautia ceretana (Sennen)
- Trichera bosniaca (Conrath)
- Knautia arvensis subsp. rosea ((Baumg.) Soó)
- Knautia cousturieri var. pinnatipartita (Sennen)
- Knautia glandulifera ((W.D.J.Koch) Borbás)
- Scabiosa vulgaris (Garsault)
- Knautia dumetorum var. breindlinii (Beck)
- Knautia alpigena (Schur)
- Knautia purpurea subsp. timeroyi ((Jord.) P.Fourn.)
- Scabiosa arvensis f. glabrescens (Wimm. & Grab.)
- Knautia cupularis (Janka & Simonk.)
- Knautia kitaibelii subsp. alpigena ((Schur) Soó)
- Knautia subscaposa var. alboi ((Sennen) Devesa, Ortega Oliv. & J.López)
- Scabiosa bohemica (F.W.Schmidt)
- Trichera hirsuta ((Lapeyr.) Schult. & Schult.f.)
- Knautia arvensis subsp. polymorpha (O.Schwarz)
- Knautia involucrata (Sennen)
- Knautia exaltata (Schur)
- Trichera neglecta (Conrath)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. ochroleuca (Gaudin)
- Scabiosa mixta (De Not.)
- Knautia subacaulis (Schur)
- Knautia arvensis var. integrifolia (Coult.)
- Scabiosa polymorpha (F.W.Schmidt)
- Anisodens arvensis ((L.) Dulac)
- Knautia leucophaea (Briq.)
- Knautia arvensis f. ceretanica ((Sennen) O.Bolòs & Vigo)
- Scabiosa subpubescens (Schult. & Schult.f.)
- Knautia arvensis subsp. pseudolongifolia ((Szabó) O.Schwarz)
- Scabiosa bellidifolia (Lam.)
- Knautia subscaposa subsp. alboi ((Sennen) Molero, L.Sáez & Vallv.)
- Knautia timeroyi (Jord.)
- Trichera arvensis subsp. timeroyi ((Jord.) Nyman)
- Scabiosa radiata (F.W.Schmidt)
- Scabiosa arvensis f. tomentosa (Wimm. & Grab.)
- Knautia communis (Godr.)
- Knautia variabilis (F.W.Schultz)
- Knautia arvensis var. jasionea (Borbás)
- Knautia arvensis var. campestris ((Andrz. ex Besser) W.D.J.Koch)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. integrifolia (Gray)
- Scabiosa alpigena (Schur)
- Trichera campestris (Schult. & Schult.f.)
- Trichera arvensis var. stricta (Roem. & Schult.)
- Knautia arvensis var. canescens (Coult.)
- Knautia arvensis subsp. pratensis (Rouy)
- Scabiosa campestris (Andrz. ex Besser)
- Trichera mollis (Nyman)
- Knautia borderei (Szabó)
- Scabiosa trivialis (F.W.Schmidt)
- Trichera arvensis subsp. rosea ((Baumg.) Soják)
- Knautia rigidiuscula (Beck)
- Knautia pannonica (Heuff.)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. rosea (Baumg.)
- Scabiosa arvensis var. stricta (Seidl ex Pohl)
- Scabiosa stricta ((Seidl ex Pohl) Opiz)
Distribution
- Altay (native)
- Austria (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Belgium (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Buryatiya (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- Finland (native)
- France (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Ireland (native)
- Irkutsk (native)
- Italy (native)
- Kazakhstan (native)
- Krasnoyarsk (native)
- Krym (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- North European Russi (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Norway (native)
- Poland (native)
- Portugal (native)
- Romania (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- West Siberia (native)
- Yakutskiya (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Alberta (introduced)
- Argentina South (introduced)
- British Columbia (introduced)
- Colorado (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Føroyar (introduced)
- Iceland (introduced)
- Idaho (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Khabarovsk (introduced)
- Maine (introduced)
- Manitoba (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Minnesota (introduced)
- Montana (introduced)
- New Brunswick (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- Newfoundland (introduced)
- North Dakota (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- Pakistan (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Sakhalin (introduced)
- Saskatchewan (introduced)
- South Dakota (introduced)
- Utah (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
- Wyoming (introduced)
Additional Images
Flower
Taken May 25, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 20, 2017 by exulans (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2019 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 25, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 14, 2018 by René Jirmus (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Jul 13, 2019 by Luca Fanelli (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 3, 2020 by Patricia Berchtel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 6, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 8, 2022 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 6, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Jun 17, 2017 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 17, 2017 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 8, 2022 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 13, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 13, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Jun 3, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 23, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 3, 2022 by parramon marta (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 18, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 28, 2022 by laurence petro (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken May 24, 2022 by Gaël Covain (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 23, 2021 by Bea (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 1, 2020 by Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 6, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 22, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Jm LAUNAY (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Jan 1, 1800 by Tela Botanica − Daniel MATHIEU (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 16, 2021 by Jani Zadrgal (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 3, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 3, 2016 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 3, 2020 by Patricia Berchtel (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- WFO (No URL)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:319318-1)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2888808)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Knautia arvensis (L.) Coult.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Forb/herb
Growth
Ph maximum: 7.5
Ph minimum: 7.0
Light: 7
Atmospheric humidity: 4
Soil nutriments: 4