About
Centaurium erythraea, known as common centaury, is a biennial or occasionally annual herbaceous plant that develops basal rosettes with smooth, oval leaves featuring prominent veins. From June to September, it produces flowers arranged in terminal clusters or along side shoots. The blooms are pale pink, tubular in shape, and consist of five lobes.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Annual Biennial
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0-0.1 metre
- Time to full height
- 1-2 years
- Suggested uses
- Wildlife gardens, Wildflower meadow
- Native to
- Eurasia
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Naturally occurs in dry or well-draining, grassy places such as chalk down land and sand dunes
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free