Centaurea, Mountain Bluet, Mountain Cornflower, Perennial Cornflower 'Gold Bullion'

Centaureamontana

Family
Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee)
Genus
Centaurea (sen-TAR-ee-uh)
Species
montana (MON-tah-nuh)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Foliage
Herbaceous
Succulent
Height
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Spacing
9-12 in. (22-30 cm)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Bloom Color
Dark Blue
Bloom Time
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Other Details
Category
Perennials
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Foliage Color
Chartreuse/Yellow
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information
Patented
Propagation Methods
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting
Collect seedhead/pod when flowers fade; allow to dry
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Athens, Alabama

Clayton, California

Mammoth Lakes, California

Kiowa, Colorado

Greenwich, Connecticut

Petersburg, Indiana

Rossville, Indiana

Somerset, Kentucky

Fallston, Maryland

Marbury, Maryland

Norton, Massachusetts

Grand Haven, Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan(2 reports)

Temperance, Michigan

Albertville, Minnesota

Hackensack, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dover, New Hampshire

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Deposit, New York

Wallkill, New York

, Ontario

Springfield, Oregon

Emmaus, Pennsylvania

Elizabethton, Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee

Ogden, Utah

Lexington, Virginia

MOXEE, Washington

Menasha, Wisconsin

West Bend, Wisconsin

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Gardener's Notes:

6
positives
4
neutrals
2
negatives
Sort By:
Sort By:
R
| May 2012 | positive

I belong to a 4 acre community garden in zone 8 and I don't believe anyone has ever planted a Mountain Bluet but everyone has one, or two...Read More

G
(Zone 5a) | July 2011 | negative

Planted in late summer of 2010 and it died by early summer 2011.

J
J
Mammoth Lakes, CA | July 2009 | neutral

this plant is impossible to kill, I've divided the root bundle dozens of times, and transplanted it to areas of my garden in which nothin...Read More

P
P
Greenwich, CT | May 2009 | positive

Beautiful deep purplish blue flowers in mid May in my Zone 6 garden, it reblooms all summer long for me if I get tired of the leggy look ...Read More

Z
Pittsburgh, PA | April 2009 | positive

A beautiful plant, but it definitely requires some attention. Purchased these at a local florist as English daisies, it was plainly evi...Read More

F
(bestest fairy)Temperance, MI (Zone 5b) | September 2007 | neutral

Love it-very beautiful, I found the trick is that it does NOT like too much H2O, but everytime I get a bloom those stupid bunnies eat it ...Read More

B
Lakemont, GA (Zone 8a) | March 2007 | neutral

Short 12-15" - Plant 16" apart. zone 3-8. Deep blue flowers form on upright stems in late spring, early summer. Spreads rapidly.

D
South Strafford, VT | March 2006 | negative

I am a professional gardener and planted "Gold Bullion" in two of my zone 4b/5a gardens. The plants just sat in the ground without growin...Read More

B
Appleton, WI (Zone 5a) | December 2005 | positive

I have this plant named "Bluet". For better or worse this is a tough plant. It will rebloom quite well and if it looks ragged just chop i...Read More

P
Moxee, WA (Zone 4a) | November 2005 | positive

We live in a dry and sometimes windy area. Add to those conditions an occasional winter with -20 f degree temps ..... resulting in only ...Read More

C
Seward, AK | September 2004 | neutral

Once planted in Seward, Alaska it grows like a weed although it is easy to pull and eradicate if desired. Comes back year after year and spreads.

T
T
Murfreesboro, TN (Zone 7a) | January 2003 | positive

If you're looking for an eye-popping color combination, this is it - chartreuse foliage and electric violet-blue flowers all on one plant.

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