Overview

Appearance: Centaurea moncktonii grows from a woody crown and it can reach up to 3.5 ft. (1.1 m) tall. It is native to Europe.
Foliage: The lower leaves are long-stalked, upper leaves have no stalk. Stems are many-branched and tipped by a solitary flower head up to 1 in. (2.5 cm) wide. The leaves are coarse and tough.
Flowers: Flower heads are pink to reddish purple, oval or almost globe-shaped. A key identifying feature is the fringed bracts on the flower head.
Fruit: Each seed head can produce 35-80 seeds. However, the seeds have no wind-dispersal mechanisms so few seeds move more than two feet from the parent plant without assistance.
Ecological Threat: Centaurea moncktonii out-competes grasses and other pasture species, causing productivity to decline. It is susceptible to herbicide treatments, but control efforts must persist for the long-term. It has the potential to invade native prairie. Centaurea moncktonii favors moist roadsides, sand or gravel bars, river banks, irrigated pastures, moist meadows, and forest openings.

Resources

Minnesota Department of Agriculture [1]
USDA NRCS PLANTS [2]
USDA ARS GRIN [3]
www.eFloras.org [4]