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Centaurea calcitrapa - L.

Common Name Common Star Thistle, Red star-thistle
Family Asteraceae or Compositae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Waysides and waste places on sandy, gravelly and chalky soils[17].
Range Europe. Probably introduced in Britain[17].
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Centaurea calcitrapa Common Star Thistle, Red star-thistle


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centaurea_calcitrapa_Sturm28.jpg
Centaurea calcitrapa Common Star Thistle, Red star-thistle
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centaurea_calcitrapa_800.jpg

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Centaurea calcitrapa is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Leaves and young stems - raw or cooked[2, 46, 61, 105, 177].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Diuretic

The powdered seeds are drunk as a remedy for stone[4, 240]. The powdered root is said to be a cure for fistula and gravel[4, 240].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1, 200]. Prefers a well-drained fertile soil and a sunny position[200]. Tolerates dry, low fertility and alkaline soils[200]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow April in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed, it can also be sown in situ during August/September.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Cyprus, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey EUROPE: Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Russian Federation (European part), Ukraine (Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia. Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Centaurea acaulis Perennial0.0 -  LMHNDM001
Centaurea chamaerhaponticum  0.0 -  LMHNDM20 
Centaurea cyanusCornflower, Garden cornflower, Blue Bottle, CornflowerAnnual1.0 0-0 FLMHNDM222
Centaurea depressaIranian knapweedAnnual/Perennial0.3 6-9  LMHNDM20 
Centaurea ibericaIberian Star Thistle, Iberian knapweedBiennial0.9 5-9  LMHNDM120
Centaurea jaceaBrown KnapweedPerennial0.6 5-9  LMHNDM110
Centaurea melitensisMaltese Star ThistleAnnual0.5 6-9  LMHNDM010
Centaurea montanaMountain Cornflower, Perennial cornflower, Mountain BluetPerennial0.5 3-9 FLMHNDM023
Centaurea nigraBlack Knapweed, Lesser knapweedPerennial0.6 4-8  LMHNDM120
Centaurea raphanina Perennial0.0 -  LMHNDM10 
Centaurea scabiosaGreater KnapweedPerennial0.9 4-8  LMHNDM02 
Centaurea solstitialisSt. Barnaby's Thistle, Yellow star-thistleAnnual/Biennial0.6 5-9  LMHNDM110

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Cynthia/Northern California   Tue Jul 8 05:01:51 2003

I'm looking up star thistle to get rid of it and youre saying its useful?? What do I do with it??

   Fri May 20 23:18:30 2005

Check out this website and please don't encourage people to plant this! http://www.efn.org/~ipmpa/Noxpstar.html

   Fri May 20 23:21:59 2005

This website is better: http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/detailreport.cfm?usernumber=26&surveynumber=182

Donald Scott   Thu Oct 26 2006

The U.S department of agriculture has calssified this plant as a "noxious" weed Due to its invasiveness, length, durability and persistence of the spines surrounding the ovaries and due to suggestions that it contains a bovine pathogen. I would stick to Spinnach.

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