Centaurea Species, Basket Flower, Giant Knapweed, Globe Centaurea, Lemon Fluff Knapweed

I purchased seeds for this from Johnny's Selected Seeds about ten years ago after seeing it in a friend's garden. It has thrived in my Zo...Read Morene 4 sandy Maine garden for a decade or more, despite a great deal of neglect.

I was interested in the comments from the Northwest that said it could be invasive. In my garden it has self-seeded, but only very near where it was originally planted so that the patch has grown only a little and in all the time I've had it I have never seen it appear anywhere else on the property despite the fact that our house is on the edge of about five acres of field that doesn't get usually get mowed until after these have flowered and sometimes doesn't get mowed at all. So I don't think it's invasive in this part of the country.

The bees absolutely love these flowers, burrowing into them to get the nectar, and I love how they look. Plus it is so easy to grow since it doesn't mind neglect (it is crowded in against a vigorous stand of tiger lilies on one side and the patch is pretty heavily invaded by grass although I try to pull out most of it right around the flowers).

Addtionally, the flowers are are a real conversation starter at my stand at the Farmers Market where I sell culinary herbs and cut flowers.

This species has been classified as a prohibited noxious weed by the Alberta Government
Please check your province/state

have had this for years, love the flower head,It's even self sowed a few times.

I grow these flowers for use in dried arrangements. The "basket weave" pods look wonderful, with or without the flower still showing in ...Read Morethe top.

I had about 10 of these plants in an area that was normal to dry in full sun. They grew wonderfully until we had two "wet" years in a row. Our ground literally has not dried out for about 2 years...Unbeknownst to us a chipmunk had dug a hole from a culvert in back of this hillside garden, which allowed water to divert into the garden itself and came out just below where these plants were. Because of the water load the whole area became saturated and killed every one of the Centaurea's. I also lost two very large Centaurea's in another garden when the water table rose.

Make sure to plant these where you can be sure of well-drained soil, otherwise if you have a couple wet years like here in the east, they'll be goners!