Go to Midwest Weeds and Wildflowers Home Page

Basketflower, American Starthistle

Centaurea americana Nutt.

Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

▲ seedling 

▲ wild population in flower in Oklahoma 

▲▼flower buds, showing the "basket" like arrangement of the toothed bracts on the base of the inflorescence 

▲▼flowering plants 

▲▼base of inflorescence remains after flowering, and sometimes becomes hollow after fruit/seed leave 

Centaurea americana Nutt., American Star-Thistle, Basketflower: (Bayer Code:  not known; US Code CEAM2)

·         Native annual wildflower that grows 1-4 feet tall, with alternate, lanceolate leaves

·         Stems are ridge and leaves are covered with fine hairs

·         Inflorescences are at stem tips on elongated stalks, and are 1-3 inches across, usually pinkish-purple, with whiter coloring toward the center of the head

·         The bracts below the inflorescence are branched, straw-colored, and overlapping, so that they give the appearance of forming a basket below the flower

·         Found in prairies, rangeland, full sun to part shade, fertile, drier soil

·         Not usually weedy, but related to some non-native, very weedy species

Go to Midwest Weeds and Wildflowers Home Page 

Posted 19 January 2019