List 2 – Centaurea montana

Centaurea montana (mountain bluet)

Family: Asteraceae

2.1 centaurea montana

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8

Size:

  • 50cm-1m ft wide
  • 10-50 cm tall

Form:

  • Spreading; bushy

Soil & Water requirements:

  • Dry to medium moisture
  • Well-drained
  • Tolerant of drought and poor soils

*rich, fertile soil should be avoided because plant can spread aggressively

Exposure:

  • Full sun

Leaves:

  • Leafy
  • Lanceolate leaves with hairs
  • Herbaceous perennial

Flowers:

  • Composite flowers; sterile on outside; fertile on inside
  • Rich blue/violet colour; 2” diameter
  • Bracts at base of inflorescence; edged with little black hairs
  • Showy
  • Blooming from May to June

Maintenance:

  • Remove flower heads after bloom if you want to prevent self-seeding; this may also prolong bloom period

Suitable uses:

  • Cottage or informal gardens
  • Front of a border planting
  • Mass planting

Attracts:

  • Butterflies

Other:

  • Can become weedy; be careful about where this is planted
  • Spreads by stolons; colony forming
  • Deer resistant

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Spam prevention powered by Akismet