Centaurea montana

Mountain Cornflower

Perennial Cornflower

Bachelor's Button

Montane Knapweed

Mountain Bluet

Uses

Edible uses

There are no edible uses listed for Centaurea montana.

Material uses

There are no material uses listed for Centaurea montana.

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

Mountain cornflower is seldom used in modern herbalism, though it does still have a reputation in parts of Europe as a wash for tired eyes^[2]. It is considered to be most effective on blue eyes, great plantain (Plantago majus) being used for brown eyes^[2].

Flowers

Dried as an Antitussive, Astringent, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Ophthalmic, Purgative, Tonic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Soil surface

Ecological Functions

Ground cover

Can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position^[3]^[4].

Forage

Bees

A good bee plant^[5].

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed

Sow March in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in August in a greenhouse, overwintered under cover, and planted out in spring.

Rooted cuttings

Division in autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring. This should be done at least once every three years in order to maintain the plants vigour.

Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 5 - 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil^[6]^[7]. Prefers a moist well-drained fertile soil and a sunny position^[7]. Tolerates dry, low fertility and alkaline soils^[7]. Plants are hardy to at least -20°c^[8]. A very ornamental plant^[6], there are some named varieties^[8]. The plants have creeping rhizomes and form spreading patches^[8].

Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer^[9].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Centaurea montana. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Centaurea montana.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

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References

? ^1.0^1.1^1.2 Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn ISBN 0-600-37216-2 (32202/01/01)
? ^2.0^2.1^2.2 Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism Orbis Publishing. London. ISBN 0-85613-067-2 (32202/01/01)
? ^3.0^3.1 Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (32202/01/01)
? ^4.0^4.1 Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons ISBN 0-460-12609-1 (32202/01/01)
? International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. (32202/01/01)
? ^6.0^6.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (32202/01/01)
? ^7.0^7.1^7.2^7.3 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (32202/01/01)
? ^8.0^8.1^8.2 Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books ISBN 0-330-30936-9 (32202/01/01)
? Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. ISBN 0 460 86048 8 (32202/01/01)