Centaurea atropurpurea

Centaurea atropurpurea, also known as Purple Centaury, is a cousin of the cornflower. In summer, this tall plant displays red-purple thistle-like flowers, emerging from finely cut silver foliage. Still little-known, it is a hardy perennial, native to Bohemia. It combines the robustness of wild plants with a particularly elegant chromatic marriage. Sun-loving, greedy and generous, this baroque plant will succeed in natural, slightly wild borders.

Centaurea atropurpurea belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is native to the Balkans where it grows in mountainous Carpathian meadows. This perennial forms an upright tuft, with a bushy and spreading habit, reaching a minimum height of 60cm (24in), with a spread of 30cm (12in). Flowering takes place from May to July, in the form of purple-red thistle-like flowers, with small petals emerging from a decorative ovoid calyx. These solitary flowers are borne at the end of large sturdy stems, and are covered with grey felting. The deciduous foliage is arranged in a rosette. It is also pubescent. The foliage is strongly cut, with a grey-silver appearance that is even more pronounced in hot and dry weather.

The purple centaury will naturally find its place in borders or on sloping banks, in the company of perennials that will enhance its baroque and refined beauty, such as the silver foliage of Artemisia 'Canescens', Artemisia alba, or the small azure blue flowers of perennial flax, pink coreopsis, and the blonde hair of Stipa tenuifolia.