Centaurea scabiosa seed

Centaurea scabiosa ‘Greater Knapweed’

Asteraceae: elegant perennial of dry, calcareous grassland, growing to 1m. Stems are stiff, downy, grooved and swollen towards the base. The flowers are 3-5cm across, with reddish-purple disc florets, and a swollen base coated with brown bracts, solitary heads from June-September. The leaves are oblong and deeply pinnate. Locally common in Southern and Eastern England. Native to much of Europe, including Britain, north to 68° N., east to the Caucasus and Western Asia.

USES:

The roots and seeds are diaphoretic, diuretic, tonic and vulnerary. The plant once had a very high reputation as an ingredient of the Medieval ‘salve’, an ointment applied to heal wounds and treat skin infections.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Grows readily from seed sown at any time of the year, but probably best sown in spring.