Centaurea americana
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Centaurea americana

American star-thistle · Centaurea americana · American-basketflower · Basketflower · American starthistle

Tier 2 Difficulty: medium Water: low Light: full_sun
Water every
7 days
Temperature
10–35 °C
Soil pH
6–7
Hardiness
Zone 3–9
Click count
2
Observations
2

Description

Source: leafsnap

Centaurea americana, commonly called American starthistle or American basketflower, is an annual native to the southern central United States and northeastern Mexico. Its common name comes from the underside of the inflorescence, which has a basket weave pattern on it and on the flowerbuds. The pink petals look somewhat like a thistle with a cream colored center. Blooms are 4" in diameter and are held from May until June. The plant can reach 5-6' tall and has rough 4" long lance-shaped leaves. The plant is often cultivated for its showy flowers, and can sometimes be found outside its native range as an escape from cultivation.

Care Guide

💧 Water once a week

Basket flowers are a fantastic alternative if you reside in a dry location. They are drought-tolerant once planted and may thrive in arid environments. If they got adequate water in the winter and spring, though, their development would be much more astounding. Basket flowers are not resistant to shade or dampness, so watering once a day should suffice. However, in the summer heat, when temperatures are high and evaporation is high, you can irrigate in the morning and evening to meet water needs, but be careful not to overwater to avoid water in the basin.

Suggested frequency: once a week
☀️ Light Full sun

Maltese Star-Thistle grows best when exposed to direct sunlight for most of the day, though it can cope reasonably well in locations where shade alternates with sun. Too little light diminishes its vigor, while too much exposure can cause health problems. It comes from habitats with strong daytime illumination.

Ideal: Full sun
🌡️ Temperature 10–35°C

Maltese Star-Thistle is a plant suited to moderate climates, originating from areas where temperatures generally fall between 68 to 95 °F (20 to 35 ℃). For best growth, those same conditions should be recreated. Sharp temperature fluctuations should be avoided, especially during seasonal changes.

Ideal temperature: 10–35°C
💨 Humidity
Humidity:
🪴 Soil 6-7
Soil pH: 6-7
🌱 Fertilizer

Maltese Star-Thistle benefits from regular, light applications of fertilizer to encourage healthy leaf growth. Fertilize Maltese Star-Thistle roughly once a month during the summer. Nitrogen is essential for foliage, and providing nitrogen-rich sources helps Maltese Star-Thistle thrive.

🪴 Pot & Repot
✂️ Pruning

It's important to pinch off developing tips and deadhead spent flowers if you want to witness the most stunning development in terms of branches and blooms.

🌿 Propagating
🐛 Diseases & pets
☠️ Toxicity

Characteristics

Plant Type
Herb
Life Cycle
Annual, Biennial
Genus
Centaurea
Family
Asteraceae
Hardiness Zone
6-9
Mature Height
30 cm to 61 cm
Mature Spread
20 cm to 49 cm
Leaf Color
Green
Leaf Type
Semi-evergreen
Flower Color
Yellow
Flower Size
1.27 cm
Bloom Time
Late spring, Early summer, Mid summer
Planting Time
Spring, Summer
Harvest Time
Mid summer, Late summer, Early fall
Native Area
Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Montenegro, Algeria, Greece, Croatia, Morocco, France

Tags (13)

Common Names (5)

en American star-thistle
en Centaurea americana
en American-basketflower
en Basketflower
en American starthistle