The mountain knapweed convinces with colorful and, above all, rare flowers. Because of its undemanding location and its easy care, it is very well suited even for garden novices.
From May to August, the mountain knapweed (Centaurea montana) exudes a special charm with its blue, white, pink or violet flowers. These stand in attractive contrast to the green leaves of the hardy perennial. The mountain knapweed is not only very good in the garden, the plant is also used as follows:
- as insect food
- as part of bouquets
- on bee pastures
- in embankments
- for pretty group planting of beds
- as a medicinal plant (but only of limited relevance today)
The quite bushy plant is visually reminiscent of a herb and, as a perennial plant, can reach heights of growth of 20 to around 50 centimeters. The twisting rootstock helps the mountain knapweed to form cohesive plant stands. The plant also belongs to the aster family. Mountain knapweed, also known as cornflower as well as mountain knapweed, is at its most beautiful when planted as a group of plants.
Since this native plant is quite easy to care for, hobby gardeners who are absolute newcomers to this field will also get along very well with the mountain knapweed. After all, the mountain knapweed grows wild even in courtyards, along the side of the road and also in landfills. In most gardens, the perfect growing conditions for this lovely plant are already in place, without gardeners having to pay much attention.
The Appearance of Mountain Knapweed
The leaves of the mountain knapweed are not only deciduous, they are also visually reminiscent of broad lances. The leaves not only shimmer in a fresh green, but also in a silvery gray over time. In addition to the flower colors already mentioned, there are a few particularly striking types of mountain knapweed, such as the "Black Sprite." It has flowers in a deep blackPurple, which looks great in your own garden, but also as a cut flower in the vase.
Compared to many other plants in the garden, the mountain knapweed opens its flowers quite early, with the flower shape reminiscent of that of a thistle. This is not surprising since both mountain knapweed and thistle belong to the same plant family. Incidentally, there are also mountain knapweed species that can even reach a height of up to 150 centimeters. This genus therefore has a wide range of plants to offer, which adapts to your own needs for visually attractive garden design.
Where does the mountain knapweed come from?
The region of origin of the mountain knapweed is central and southern Europe. In the past, the plant was repeatedly used there as a medicinal plant. In Finland, on the other hand, the shrub adorns many traditional perennial gardens. The dissemination of the mountain knapweed could be promoted not only with the help of seeds, but also through its roots and as a cultivated plant. It gets along very well with the following planting partners and can therefore be planted together with them:
- asters
- Oxeye
- Night Violet
- Spotted St. John's Wort
- Lupins
- Woman's Mantle
- white yarrow
- Hurry Flowers
Whether in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg, Poland, Switzerland, the Balkan Peninsula, Slovakia or Slovenia, this aster-like daisy family is widespread in these regions and is therefore optimally adapted to the local climate conditions customized. Even at altitudes of up to 2,200 meters, the mountain knapweed thrives magnificently. In Germany, the plant is most widespread in both the north and east of Bavaria. The plant is also known regionally under these trivial names:
- Bismachütz
- cornflower
- Chicken
- Drummaschligel
The mountain knapweed is now even a protected species. Incidentally, there are a good 500 other species in this plant genus. Just by looking at the mountain knapweed, you can see that it is also related to the following plants:
- Autumn Taster
- American Arnica
- Yarrow
- Gold Sheaf
- Chrysanthemums
- Gold Basket
- Large Flowered Girl's Eye
- Chicory
- Girl's Eye
- Red Coneflower
- Globe and noble thistle
- Blanket Flower
- Japanese Aster
- Sun Bride
- Hawkweed
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Sun Eye
- Garden Marguerite
- Sword Elecampane
- Prachtscharte
- Magnificent Coneflower
- Japanese Gold Flask
- Large Telekie
- Cornflower Aster
Plant the mountain knapweed in your own garden
All hobby gardeners can sow the mountain knapweed in their cold frames between March and April if they wish. If, on the other hand, the mountain knapweed is planted as a container plant, this can in principle be done at any time during the warmer season. If the right location has been selected for the plant, it will grow without any problems.
Up to ten mountain knapweeds can be planted as a group in an area of a good one square meter. An excessively large planting distance does not therefore have to be maintained. In addition, all home gardeners should be aware that mountain knapweed tends to self-seed over time. If this is to be prevented, a corresponding pruning must be carried out in good time.
The optimal location for the mountain knapweed
The perfect location for the mountain knapweed is sunny to half-shady, whereby the plant prefers dry to fresh and sandy to loamy soil. This can be slightly acidic or slightly alkaline. The mountain knapweed also tolerates calcareous soils without any problems. However, it requires a nutrient-rich soil so that the plant feels completely comfortable. The soil should also be rich in humus if the mountain knapweed is to beautify a garden in the following style:
- Flower Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Forest Garden
- Natural Garden
If the mountain knapweed is sunny, the soil can be a little damper. On the other hand, the plant does not like compacted or waterlogged soil and will die under such site conditions.
Caring for the mountain knapweed
The mountain knapweed is a very easy-care plant. It is quite sufficient if the hobby gardener simply cuts off all faded parts of the plant. This will help more flowers to form even faster. If you want to cut off the flower for the vase, you can do this as well and admire the beautiful floral decoration both inside and outside. Even then, the flowers grow back very well. This takes about four weeks. By pruning the plant, you can also ensure that it does not sow itself and socan unintentionally spread in your own garden.
It is possible to cut back the leaves of the mountain knapweed in autumn, but it is by no means a must. After all, the plant is very happy when it can retract its leaves by itself. This process ultimately helps the roots to absorb some of the contents and nutrients from the leaves. Thanks to these reserves, the mountain knapweed can get off to a particularly strong start in spring.
The mountain knapweed needs little fertilization, if at all. As an organic fertilizer, compost is a very good choice for the mountain knapweed. It is quite sufficient if the plant is fertilized once in early spring and once in autumn. Then it is usually supplied with enough nutrients. As an alternative to compost, a long-term bloom fertilizer can also be used. Ideally, this fertilizer contains a comparatively high proportion of phosphorus, as this promotes the formation of new flowers. The plant is also happy about pond water for irrigation and simultaneous fertilization.
Propagating the mountain knapweed
The plant can easily be propagated both by sowing and by dividing an existing mountain knapweed. If the rootstock of the plant is to be divided for propagation, this should ideally be done in autumn or early spring. Mountain knapweed also reproduces itself by dispersing its seeds in the garden.
Preparing the mountain knapweed for winter
As already mentioned, the mountain knapweed has adapted perfectly to the local temperature and environmental conditions. After all, the knapweed also grows at an altitude of 2,000 meters and more, where icy temperatures can sometimes prevail in winter. The flower therefore does not require winter protection, as it is considered to be fully hardy and will bloom again next year.
The mountain knapweed as a medicinal herb
In folk medicine, mountain knapweed was used in a wide variety of applications, especially in the past. Whether as a laxative, for loss of appetite or eye inflammation, the mountain knapweed has been used in many different ways as a remedy. The following list shows other possible uses for the medicinal herb:
- for a sluggish intestine
- for inflammation
- for skin care
- as tonic
- for problems with digestion (such as constipation)
- for dropsy
Although the mountain knapweed was primarily used as a digestive aid in the past due to its laxative, astringent and appetite-stimulating effects, the plant is said to have other properties that are just as relevant to medicine. These characteristic qualities of mountain knapweed are as follows:
- diuretic
- menstrual stimulant
- cough suppressant
- anti-inflammatory
In order to be able to enjoy the healing properties of the mountain knapweed, it must not simply be picked from the wild. Because the plant has become very rare in its natural distribution, which is why the mountain knapweed is under species protection. If you want to cultivate the knapweed in your own garden because of the healing powers it is said to have, you can do so without any problems. The formerly popular medicinal herb was replaced in modern herbal medicine by many other plants as a former medicinal plant and is now of little importance.
Pests and Diseases of Mountain Knapweed
Downy mildew becomes a problem for the mountain knapweed, especially when it rains more or less heavily over a longer period of time. However, there are ways and means to prevent this at an early stage. It is best to stir a tea from the leaves of the field horsetail. There is silica in this concoction which can not only stabilize but also strengthen the flake petals.
If, on the other hand, a mildew infestation has already occurred, we recommend using special organic sprays, which are easy to get from specialist retailers. It also makes sense if the affected plants are cut back to their base. This gives the mountain knapweed the opportunity to sprout again and to shine again in all its glory with he althy flowers and leaves. Infestation with rust and aphids is occasionally possible on knapweed, in which case the usual pesticides should be used. In specialist shops, mountain knapweed is even available in a slug-proof version.