bighead knapweed
Centaurea macrocephala
USDA zones3 to 8
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size3 to 4 feet tall18 to 24 inches wide
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Bloom color
- Yellow
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Bighead knapweed (Centaurea macrocephala) is a perennial for borders and low maintenance gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun and dry to moist soil of most types. It forms a sturdy clump that reaches 3 to 4 feet tall. Yellow, globe-like flowers open from shiny brown bracts in early to late summer. Bees and butterflies visit the blooms.
Pairs well with Aromatic aster, Foxtail barley, and Double Play Doozie spirea.
Native range
Caucasus, Iran, and Turkey.