Starball Scabiosa Seeds — Scabiosa stellata

Grown for the Seed Head — One of the Most Extraordinary Dried Flowers You Can Grow

Scabiosa stellata 'Starball' is quite unlike any other scabiosa — and indeed unlike almost any other annual you can grow. While it produces pretty pale lavender-blue pincushion flowers in summer that are loved by bees and butterflies, it is the seed heads that make this plant truly extraordinary. As the flowers fade, each one transforms into a perfectly spherical, papery bronze-gold globe made up of individual star-shaped calyxes arranged in a precise, geometric pattern — like a tiny, intricate lantern. These seed heads are simply stunning, both on the plant and dried, and they hold their shape and colour beautifully for months. A must-grow for anyone who loves dried flowers, everlastings, or simply something genuinely different in the garden.

Why Gardeners Love It

• 🌟 Extraordinary spherical seed heads — perfectly round papery bronze-gold globes made up of individual star-shaped calyxes in a precise geometric pattern; quite unlike anything else
• 🌺 Beautiful fresh flowers too — pretty pale lavender-blue pincushion flowers in summer before the seed heads form; loved by bees and butterflies
• 🌿 Outstanding for drying — the seed heads hold their shape and colour beautifully for months; harvest when fully formed for the best dried results
• 🌱 Easy to grow — direct sow or start in trays; a reliable and rewarding annual that requires little attention
• 🎨 Unique and eye-catching — the geometric, lantern-like seed heads are a talking point in the garden and in dried arrangements; nothing else looks quite like it
• ✂️ Excellent cut and dried flower — use fresh in arrangements as the seed heads form, or dry for long-lasting wreaths, posies, and decorative displays

Growing Tips for New Zealand

Sow Scabiosa stellata 'Starball' direct where it is to flower in spring, or start in trays in late winter for earlier blooms. Sow onto moist seed-raising mix and cover lightly. Thin or transplant seedlings to 30cm apart. It prefers a sunny position with well-drained soil and performs well across most NZ regions. To harvest the seed heads for drying, cut the stems when the globes are fully formed and papery but before they shatter — hang upside down in a warm, airy spot to dry. The seed heads also look wonderful left on the plant as they mature and fade through the season.

What's in the Packet

Each packet contains 8 seeds of Starball Scabiosa (Scabiosa stellata 'Starball'), with growing instructions included.