When Thomas Jefferson requested roots and bulbs of the "Mourning bride" from his friend and neighbor, Isaac Coles, in 1811, he may have been referring to the Pincushion Flower. Also known as Scabiosa because of its skin-healing medicinal qualities, and Mourning bride because of its association with grieving widows in eighteenth-century England, Pincushion Flower was sold by Philadelphia nurseryman Bernard McMahon in 1804.

Visit Monticello’s Online Shop to check for seeds or plants of Pincushion Flower.

Typical Blooming Dates: June - September
Growth Type: Annual
Color(s): Pink, Purple, White
Location at Monticello: West Lawn
Planting Conditions: Full Sun