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This is:
A potpourri (below) of Centaurea species information,
including notes on perennial bachelor button/mountain bluet/C.
montana as a supplement to other articles.
A plant-based page rather than our usual topic-based page. It's
a pivot point, one list of links to ours and
others' articles that involve Centaurea species.
Most try it, few keep it:
So sad!
Blue flowers are at a premium in many perennial gardens.
Mountain bluet/Perennial bachelor button (Centaurea
montana) happens to be in full bloom at peak buying season --
spring. So it's no surprise that most gardeners have snatched one
from the shelves and taken it home. Surprisingly, most do not
continue to cultivate the plant because of its unkempt appearance
after bloom.
Here's the secret that counters that drawback and makes it one
of our favorite garden plants: Cut the plant to the ground after
its first bloom. As soon as it's no longer breathtaking, just cut
it all down. Fresh new foliage will emerge and the plant will bloom
again at the end of summer.
Centaurea's disappearing trick also makes the plant a
good companion for some early summer bloomers such as lanceleaf
Coreopsis (C. lanceolata) that come into their
own after the Centaurea's been cut out of the picture. By
late summer when the second plant is ready for its own cutback for
neatness' sake, the Centaurea has made its comeback and is
developing a second bloom.
Variety worth trying
Centaurea montana 'Gold Bullion' has gold foliage that
really sets off the blue flowers.
Read more about perennial
bachelor button (Centaurea species):
Cut back after bloom:
What's Coming Up 97, page 9 (click
here to read this pdf issue)
Growing
Concerns 620
We're just introducing this set of perennial info pages. This
page is in process but Aster's page is complete. We hope
you'll take a look there and comment. Let us know if the format was
useful, share your suggestions, tell us we shouldn't have this page
at all... anything helps.
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