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Centaurea jacea - L.

Common Name Brown Knapweed
Family Asteraceae or Compositae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Hedgerows, uncultivated land and waste ground[7].
Range Europe. Naturalized in Britain.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Centaurea jacea Brown Knapweed


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centaurea_jacea_Sturm22.jpg
Centaurea jacea Brown Knapweed
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Franz_Xaver

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Centaurea jacea is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from August 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

 Hedgerow; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

The young leaves are cooked as a vegetable [1b].

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.
Bitter  Diuretic  Ophthalmic  Stomachic  Tonic

The root is bitter tonic, diuretic and stomachic[7]. An excellent bitter for treating difficult digestive systems, it is still used in rural areas as a digestive and also to reduce the temperature of feverish children[7]. A distilled water made from the leaves is used as an eye lotion in the treatment of conjunctivitis[7].

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]. Plants are suitable for the wild garden and for naturalising[200]. This species is hardy to at least -15°c[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:

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The PFAF Bookshop

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 into their permanent positions in the summer. Division in autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring. This should be done at least once every three years in order to maintain the vigour of the plant. Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Brown knapweed, brownray knapweed

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey (northeast), Georgia, Russian Federation (Altay, Gorno-Altay, Novosibirsk, Tyumen (south)) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Austria (southeast), Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy (incl. Sicily), North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Portugal AFRICA: Algeria, 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.

This plant can be weedy or invasive. In Washington, USA it is a Class B noxious weed.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Centaurea acaulis Perennial0.0 -  LMHNDM001
Centaurea calcitrapaCommon Star Thistle, Red star-thistleBiennial0.6 0-0  LMHNDM11 
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 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

17200

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