Centaurea montana - Mountain Cornflower

Family:	Compositae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.45
Width:	1
Synonyms:
Range:	Europe.

Centaurea montana (Mountain Cornflower) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.45m and a width of 1m . It has a hardness rating of 3and is vunerable to frost.
Mountain Cornflower will flower in November to February. the seeds ripen from January to March
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, flies, lepidoptera, self

Soil Information

Mountain Cornflower will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is / is important for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Mountain Cornflower prefers either dry or moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Mountain Cornflower should not be planted in shady areas.

Mountain woodland margins and meadows[9].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Can spread to cover ground and will out compete weeds

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1, 200]. Prefers a moist well-drained fertile soil and a sunny position[200]. Tolerates dry, low fertility and alkaline soils[200]. Plants are hardy to at least -20°c[187]. A very ornamental plant[1], there are some named varieties[187]. The plants have creeping rhizomes and form spreading patches[187]. A good bee plant[108]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
Mountain cornflower is seldom used in modern herbalism, though it does still have a reputation in parts of Europe as a wash for tired eyes[268]. It is considered to be most effective on blue eyes, great plantain (Plantago majus) being used for brown eyes[268]. The dried flowers are antitussive, astringent, weakly diuretic, emmenagogue, ophthalmic, very mildly purgative and tonic[9]. An infusion can be used as a treatment for dropsy, constipation, as a mouthwash for bleeding gums and as an eye bath for conjunctivitis[9].

• Antitussive - Prevents or relieves coughing.
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Emmenagogue - Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
• Ophthalmic - Treats eye complaints.
• Purgative - A drastic laxative causing a cleansing or watery evacuation of the bowels, usually with a griping pain.
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Propagation

Seed - sow March in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in August in a greenhouse, overwintered under cover, and planted out in spring. Division in autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring. This should be done at least once every three years in order to maintain the plants vigour. Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 5 - 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

Can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position[188, 208].

• Ground cover - Usually low growing plants that can be grown with other plants, especially shrubs and trees, to prevent the growth of weeds.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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