SafePlants

No images found for this plant ID: 9551.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "9551" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Dogs?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Cats?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Reptiles?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

singleflower knapweed

Scientific Name: Centaurea uniflora ssp. nervosa

Family: Asteraceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Common Knapweed: A Meadow Essential

Common Knapweed, also known as Black Knapweed or Hardheads, is a tough perennial wildflower that plays a vital role in meadow ecosystems, particularly in places like England. Its thistle-like flowers make it a favorite among pollinating insects.

Considerations for Pets

  • The plant has thistle-like flowers, which could present a prickly hazard.

Scientific Name and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Centaurea nigra
  • Common Names: Common Knapweed, Black Knapweed, Hardheads
  • Family: Daisy Family (Asteraceae)
  • The text also refers to other Centaurea species such as Centaurea scabiosa (Greater Knapweed), Centaurea maculosa (Spotted Knapweed), Centaurea diffusa (Diffuse Knapweed), Centaurea stoebe, Centaurea montana (Mountain Knapweed), Centaurea uniflora (Single-flower Knapweed), and Centaurea X moncktonii (Meadow Knapweed).

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Tall, tough perennial flower.
  • Flower heads resemble thistle flowers, but the leaves and stems are spineless.
  • Flower heads are single, flower-like capitula (3-4.5 cm) surrounded by involucral bracts.
  • Capitula flowers are violet red, occasionally pink or white.
  • Ray-florets are neuter and obliquely funnel-shaped.
  • Some Knapweed species are biennials.
  • Some species have numerous stems emerging from the same root.
  • A single plant can produce as many as 300 flower heads.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Common Knapweed is described as perhaps the single most abundant Centaurea species of England.

Ecological Role

  • Knapweed is described as a favorite of pollinating insects.
  • Some species, such as Spotted Knapweed, are considered highly invasive and a major nuisance in some areas.

Reproduction

  • Knapweed reproduces primarily by seed.
  • A single plant can produce a large number of seeds (ranging from 1,200 to 60,000 depending on the species).
  • Seeds can be dispersed when the plant breaks off at the base and tumbles.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Mentioned as a food source for bees, butterflies, and moths.
  • The knapweed gall-fly is mentioned.
  • Blister Beetles are found on Knapweed flowers.
  • Bees, such as honeybees, are found on the flowers.