Centaurea gymnocarpa (velvet centaurea)

Japanese name: ケンタウレア ギムノカルパ
Scientific name: Centaurea gymnocarpa

[Overview]
An evergreen perennial or subshrub 0.9–1.2 m tall.
In its native range it is found on rocky ground and in shrub vegetation of Mediterranean climate.
The base of the stem becomes woody.
The stems and leaves are densely covered with short white hairs, so the whole plant looks grayish white.
The leaves are alternate, about 25 cm long, finely pinnately divided, and somewhat thick.
The flower heads are borne singly at the stem tips, about 5 cm across, pink to pale reddish purple, and consist entirely of tubular florets, but the outer ones become larger and are irregularly split at the tips.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by cuttings, or by division.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, airy place.
It dislikes acidic soil and hot, humid conditions.
Take care not to let it become too wet; for potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil has dried, and for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Too much fertilizer makes it leggy and prone to falling over, so once basal fertilizer has been applied no further fertilizing is particularly needed, though for potted plants chemical fertilizer may be placed on the soil once a month.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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