This plant was thought to cure itchy diseases, so it acquired its name from scabies, the Latin word for itch. As you might guess, the common name refers to the flowers resemblance to a pincushion stuck with pins. Personally, I think the name is more appropriate to the flower bud than to the flower (see Archive for bud photo).

Although it is a perennial, this plant just keeps blooming and blooming all through the summer (as long as you keep it dead-headed).