About
Centaurea montana 'Parham' is a perennial that forms clumps reaching about 60 cm in height when in bloom. It exhibits a spreading growth pattern and features simple, downy green foliage. This plant blooms from early to mid-summer, producing slender stems that support buds wrapped in overlapping bracts. The flowers are large and prominent, displaying a ring of lavender-blue outer florets encircling a cluster of small white flowers tipped with purple.
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, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming, Spreading branched
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Wildflower meadow, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in any moist but well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. May benefit from support to prevent flopping, see staking perennials
- Pruning
- Cut back after flowering to encourage fresh foliage, may produce a second flush in late summer
- Propagation
- Propagate by division, separating rhizomes in autumn
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to downy mildews, powdery mildews and rust diseases