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Field Scabious

Field scabious
Photo Credit: Nicole Kimmel, Alberta Agriculture & Forestry

Common Name: Field Scabious

Scientific Name: Knautia arvensis

Habitat: roadsides, grassland, grassland dry, grassland wet, disturbed areas, farmland

Provincial Designation: Noxious

Noxious weeds are plant species that are designated as "noxious weeds" in the Alberta weed regulation. Noxious weeds must be controlled, meaning their growth or spread needs to be prevented.

Origin

Field scabious is native to Europe and was introduced to North America as an ornamental garden plant.

Legislated Because

This weed can quickly establish along roadsides, open grasslands, pastures and rangeland. Infestations can reduce pasture productivity.

Description

The flowers of field scabious are blue or purple in colour. What appears to be one flower is actually a composite of many small flowers that are clustered together into a single flower head. Each of these single small flowers has united petals with four lobes. Flower heads are 4 cm wide and sit on the end of stems.

The hairy leaves are variably lobed and oppositely arranged along the stem. Stems are erect, hairy, sparsely branched, and grow up to 1.5 m tall.