About
Centaurea calocephala is a perennial that forms clumps reaching up to 1 meter in height, featuring finely divided, gray-green foliage. In summer, robust stems support deep red blossoms that arise from bronze-hued, scaly buds.
About the genus
Centaurea includes annuals, perennials, and subshrubs, characterized by simple or pinnately lobed foliage and prominent flower heads resembling thistles, frequently featuring enlarged outer florets.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Rock garden, Patio and container plants, Wildflower meadow, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- C Balk., Romania
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Any well-drained soil in full sun; good drought resistance. A fairly dry, poor soil is best as plants can be invasive if soil is rich and moist
- Pruning
- Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or propagate by division in spring or autumn
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to powdery mildews