Red Star-Thistle
Centaurea calcitrapa
- Native to:
- Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Cape Verde, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, East Aegean Is., Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Madeira, Morocco, NW. Balkan Pen., Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Sinai, Spain, Sudan-South Sudan, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Centaurea
- Species:
- Centaurea calcitrapa
- USDA Symbol:
- CECA2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Biennial | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- poor, sandy, well-drained soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in disturbed areas and roadsides
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 10–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment in warm conditions.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI