Centaure Montana / mountain corn flower - CENTAUREA - ASTERACEAE

Reference material:

www.rhs.org.uk

Se soigner avec les plantes de nos montagnes - Francois Couplan

Height: 0.4 - 0.6 m

Time to ultimate height: 2 years.

Ultimate height: 0.6m.

Leaves: Bright yet dark green all over. Ovate and somewhat lobed ending in a point. Alternate.

Leaf grouping: Plentiful leaves up the stem to absorb all the sunshine once it arrives.

Leaves: Spring, summer and autumn

Stalk: Tall and tough.

Growth: Perennial plant that reliably reappears having spread out a bit too as propagates easily, and its rhizomatous rooting grow easily under ground. It survives under blankets of snow in Spring and appears once melted sometimes popping the blue flower head up out of the snow having enjoyed shelter under the snow layer from fierce winds or frost.

Flower grouping: Sometime large groups of 50 to 100 or more

Flower shape: Circular

Petals: Long thin elegant closed strong blue trumpet petals spreading out from a central darker purple to red tinted purple flower head to resemble an elegant and delicate chimney cleaner tool.

Colour: Blue thanks to the anthocyans, with a slightly red tinged purple central flower head

Habit: Small masses of plants up to 2 - 3 meters across

Flowering period: Spring and Summer

Ground: well drained soils

Soil:

Location: Mountain sides

Genus: ASTERACEAE

Altitude: 500 to 200

Fragrance:

Medicinal uses:

Add 30g of flower heads to a litre of water to make a herbal bath essence - enjoy!

Used as a treatment for eyes when irritation or inflammation exists.