Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
5CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including SC
Genus host records with ranges including SC · Centaurea
- Epiblema scudderianaScudder's Epiblema, Goldenrod Gall Moth
- Megalographa bilobaBilobed Looper Moth
- Platyptilia carduidactylusArtichoke Plume Moth
- Schinia arcigeraArcigera Flower Moth
- Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
6Specialist beesPollen specialists
Pollen specialists · Centaurea
- Megachile pugnata
- Melissodes denticulatus
- Melissodes desponsus
- Melissodes rivalis
- Melissodes subillatus
- Perdita octomaculata
12BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Centaurea
- Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
- Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
- Haemorhous mexicanusHouse Finch
- Junco hyemalisDark-eyed Junco
- Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
- Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
- Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
- Spinus psaltriaLesser Goldfinch
- Spinus tristisAmerican Goldfinch
- Spizella passerinaChipping Sparrow
Show all 12
- Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow
- Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 5b–9b
- Soil pH
- Acidic to neutral
- Flower color
- Purple
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Flower color · “Purple” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Hardiness · “Zones 5b–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “2–3 feet” · Minnesota Wildflowers
- Life cycle · “Biennial or perennial” · Minnesota Wildflowers
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil · “Occasionally dry; Very dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as
Bushy Knapweed; Centaurea biebersteinii; Centaurea maculosa; Spotted Knapweed
Conservation status
| South Carolina rank | Not available |
|---|---|
| Global rank | GNR |
| SC status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
Native alternatives
Find natives for your gardenSources
- usda
- South Carolina occurrence source
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications