Centaurea are pretty plants but with an ugly common name—knapweed! But don’t let this put you off, for Centaurea are plants that are highly valued by gardeners. Although the weed part of their name comes from their ability to grow like weeds in their natural habitats, plant breeders have selected and refined them so that are neater, and have better foliage and flowers—in other words, making them fine garden plants. Centaurea are highly attractive to bees and butterflies, too.

Many Centaurea (also known as star thistles) have a silvery look to the foliage, while the flowerheads are often thistle-like, sometimes with a cushion of brightly-coloured mini flowers emerging from the buds.

There are, it is estimated, around 500 species of Centaurea. Most of them are hardy perennials, some are woody in nature, or annual or biennial. They mainly originate from countries bordering the Mediterranean and the Middle East. As such, they prefer a place in the sun. Centaurea grow well in poor soil, as long as it does not get waterlogged.