Stemmacantha centaureoides

About this cultivar:

Stemmacantha centaureoides, used to be called Centaurea 'Pulchra Major', is a giant thistle like cultivar - big pink thistle 'flowers' and jagged thistle leaves. Before it flowers it looks like an alien has laid an egg on top of its tall stem. Books say it doesn't like clay - but it does OK in our garden - which is clay. Having said that we've only had it for a few years. Kinda grows like a Centaurea.

• Position: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers: May, June, July,
• Other features: Bees and Butterflies, Grows well in Ballyrobert
• Hardiness: Fully hardy, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Habit: Clump forming, bushy
• Foliage: Deciduous
• Height: 90 - 120 cm (3 - 4 ft)
• Spread: 30 - 60 cm (1 - 2 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Green, pink
• Goes well with: -

About this genus:

Stemmacantha, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus was described by Henri Cassini in 1817