Scabiosa africana is easy to grow in the garden and is a long-lasting cut flower. It requires full sun to semi-shade and good garden soil mixed with compost. New plants grow fast, flowering usually within their first year. Older plants tend to get untidy, but cut the old long woody stalks right back after flowering. This will encourage the plant to make many new shoots from the base. The plants tend to seed themselves quite happily in the garden.

New plants can be propagated from seed or cuttings. The seeds are inside the dried flowers and look like little badminton shuttlecocks. The seed can be sown in autumn or spring and will take about 3 weeks to germinate. The seedlings transplant easily and are hardy to winter cold. Cuttings can be made of new shoots from the bottom of the plant. Remove most of the big leaves and treat with a rooting hormone like Seradix 2.

The two other species grown at Kirstenbosch are Scabiosa incisa and Scabiosa colombaria, both of which have much smaller leaves than Scabiosa afticana.

Scabiosa colombaria (Bachelor's Buttons) is a small tufted perennial with white or mauve flowers, found widespread throughout Africa, Europe and Asia. The roots and leaves are used as a traditional medicine to treat colic and heartburn. The powdered roots are also used as a pleasant-smelling baby powder.

For the garden, the different forms of Scabiosa incisa are much more vigorous and exciting. Growing naturally on the coastal sands from Bokbaai to Grahamstown, it gives a spectacular show in spring with its large deep pink to mauve and white scabious flowers.