Field Scabious is a noxious weed which originates from Europe. It is very aggressive and tends to displace all other vegetation in pastures and forage stands.

• Distinguishable by its flowers and unique structure.
• The entire plant, including the flower buds, is often covered in short, stiff hairs.
• Flowers range in color from blue to purple and they get up to four centimeters in diameter.
• Leaves are arranged oppositely up the stem and deeply divided into five to 15 narrow segments.
• The plant ha a well developed, woody taproot which often branches below the soil.
• Mature plant height ranges from 30 to 130cm.

• roadsides
• pastures
• meadows
• waste areas
• forage crops

Field Scabious is a perennial weed which begins growth in the early spring. This weed flowers briefly in late June to early July. These plants establish easily and the seeds are almost viable as soon as the flowers form.

Field Scabious reproduces by seed only. This invasive weed prefers loose, loam soils that are nutrient rich and moderately moist to dry.

• One plant can produce up to 2,000 seeds.
• Seeds are viable in the soil for many years.
• Seeds are five to six millimeters long, and densely hairy.

• The best control is to stop the plant from going to seed.
• Cut or mow Field Scabious before seeds set and repeat several times.
• As cattle eat young plants but ignore the unpalatable flowering plants, this weed spreads quickly.
• Field Scabious cannot survive repeated cultivation. Heavily infested pastures or hayfields can be cultivated and rotated to an annual crop.
• Hand pulling is easy and highly effective for small infestations.
• Split applications of some herbicides during the spring and again in the fall of the same year, have given very positive results for heavier infestations.
• Check your Crop Protection Guide for herbicide advice.