Centaurea jacea - Common Knapweed - Seeds

Description

• Asteraceae Asterales
• Europe
• H 90cm x W 30cm
•  Z5 
• Perennial
• Synonyms: Brown Knapweed
• 1 packet of 25 seeds

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Details

Centaurea jacea is a perennial plant that grows in meadows, roadsides, wastelands, embankments, in any type of soil, even inhospitable, preferably non-calcareous, up to 1600m altitude

It thrives in full sun and tolerates drought

It has a more or less branched taproot, difficult to pull out, on which a tuft of slightly hairy glaucous green leaves develops, the largest of which are often deeply cut

The flower stalks grow in April and start blooming begining of May, lasting until October with a break in August

The pink-purple flowers are gathered in solitary flower heads 2cm high, surrounded by dry light brown bracts

They measure approximately 3-4 cm when they bloom

The flower is edible, although having an inedible texture - it can therefore be used as decoration on a plate

Centaurea jacea is a medicinal plant with properties: Astringent, Calming, Digestive, Diuretic, Tonic, Stomachic

It can be confused with Dyer's Saw-Wort (Serratula tinctoria) and Mountain Knapweed (Centaurea montana)

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Cultivation

Sow the seeds in April, directly in loosened, clean soil, or under cover in a pot

Bury them under 0.5-1 cm, pack lightly, and keep moist

It needs a location in full sun, or the abundance and beauty of the flowering will not be there

No special care

Cut the flower stems to ground level after flowering

Grows back from its stump every year