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Mountain Bluet Centaurea montana

Phonetic Spelling
sen-TAR-ee-ah mon-TAY-nah
Description

Mountain Bluet is an erect, clump-forming perennial flower which is native to Europe.  It is known for it's solitary, fringed, rich blue cornflowers with reddish blue centers and black-edged involucre bracts. 

Easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun, Mountain Bluet are drought tolerant and tolerant of poor soils. It propagates two ways: by stolons, which rapidly form colonies when optimum growing conditions exist, or by seed. If deadheaded after bloom, you may get some additional blooms in the fall as well as the deadheading controlling the seeds. Plants need to be divided every 2-3 years.

Genus came from the popular name of various plants in the late 14th century, from Medieval Latin centaurea, from Latin centaureum, from Greek kentaureion, from kentauros "centaur", so called because the plant's medicinal properties were discovered by Chiron the centaur.  Specific epithet means pertaining to mountains or coming from mountains.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#drought tolerant#blue flowers#low maintenance#spreading#clumping#dry soils intolerant#perennial
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#drought tolerant#blue flowers#low maintenance#spreading#clumping#dry soils intolerant#perennial
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Centaurea
    Species:
    montana
    Family:
    Asteraceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Borders, cottage gardens and naturalized areas
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Europe
    Play Value:
    Colorful
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Drought tolerant
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Occasionally Dry
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Cream/Tan
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Achene
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Finely hairy, straw-colored at maturity with a tuft of short, stiff, light brown bristles at the tip.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Red/Burgundy
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Cyme
    Head
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Good Cut
    Long-lasting
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Dome
    Flower Petals:
    7 - 20 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Fringed, rich blue cornflowers with reddish blue centersĀ and black-edged involucre bracts
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Soft
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Gray-green, lance-shaped lower leaves to 7" long
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Form:
    Straight
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Stems are erect, single or multiple from the base, hairy and usually unbranched, sometimes few-branched, 1 - 2 feet tall
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Walkways
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Cutting Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Wet Soil