Centaurea ruthenica at Digging Dog Nursery |

Centaurea ruthenica
at Digging Dog

Knapweed

Centaurea’s heritage extends all the way back to ancient Greek mythology when Achilles’s wise teacher, Chiron the Centaur was wounded by one of Hercules’ poisoned arrows and subsequently cured by this herb’s miraculous healing powers.

Equally at home in a present day border or a more naturalized setting, our hardy undemanding selections paint a bright picture inside as well. The long lasting boisterous blooms are celebrated cut flowers, bringing high-spirited accents to both fresh and dried arrangements.

Appreciative of well draining “sweet” soil, the ever amenable Knapweed withstands some drought, but not wet, wintertime feet.

Centaurea ruthenica

“A border flower of the highest merit,” is how British horticultural author, William Robinson once described this awe-inspiring Centaurea, and we couldn’t agree more!

Crowning long, straight green stems, the fluffy, thistle-style heads in unique pale citron yellows and tissue-thin, buff-colored bracts will attract more than just a few admirers. These ample-sized, sublime-for-cutting blooms heighten a graceful ferny pedestal of rich green pointed leaves with gray undersides, narrow silhouettes and a more refined countenance.

Blooms July–September.

Size: 3'–4' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.