Growing to 60 cm (24 in) tall and broad, it is a clump-forming perennial with grey-green, divided leaves.

Pincushion-shaped buds, borne on erect hairy, stems, open to pale blue or lavender flower heads, 4–8 cm (2–3 in) in diameter, from late summer through to autumn.

[6] After a study of the family Dipsacaceae (by Verlaque 1983), the Scabioseae were then split into several genera, with S. caucasica placed in Lomelosia Raf.

[12] Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, in shades of red, purple, pink, blue and white.

The cultivars of 'Clive Greaves',[13] (large, lavender blue),[6] and 'Miss Willmott',[14] (white with tall stems) have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.