Genus: Centaurea - Ornamental Plant Information from PlantsGalore.Com

Centaurea, Knapweed, Bluet

This is a relatively large genus with up to 600 species depending on your source. They are herbaceous perennials with thistle-like flowers. Most of them are native to areas in the Northern Hemisphere.

Centaurea americana	Basketflower
C. babyloniea	Babylonian Centaurea
C. dealbata	Persian Centaurea
C. cyanus	Bachelor's Button, Cornflower, Bluebottle
C. gymnocarpa	Dusty Miller, Velvet Centaurea
C. hypoleuca	John Coutts Knapweed
C. imperialis	Royal Centaurea annual
C. macrocephala	Globe Centaurea
C. maculosa
C. montana	Mountain Bluet, Perennial Bachelor's Button, Mountain Knapweed
C. moschata	Sweet Sultan
C. niqra
C. pulthra
C. ruthenica	Ruthenian Centaurea
C. rutifolia	Dusty Miller
C. simplicifolia	Cornflower

Species	Hgt (ft)	Flower Color	Flower diameter	Color (top)
C. dealbata	1½-2½	Lavender	2½-3	Green
C. hypoleuca	1-1½	Rose, pink	1½-2	Gray-green
C. macrocephala	3-4	Yellow	3-3½	Green
C. montana	1½-2	Blue	1-2	Green
C. niqra	1-1½	Violet	1-1½	Green
C. pulthra	2-3	Pink	3-3½	Gray-green

* Guides and Keys are from the book "Herbaceous Perennial Plants A Treatise on their Identification, Culture and Garden Attributes" by Dr Allan M. Armitage of the University of Georgia. Varsity Press, Athens, Georgia. 1989 ISBN 0-942375-00. More on Dr Armitage and his other books.