Japanese name: ケンタウレア ラグシナ Scientific name:Centaurea ragusina
[Overview]
A relatively short-lived evergreen perennial 30–60 cm tall.
In its native range it is found on rocks and cliffs along the coast in a 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 silvery white.
The leaves form a rosette, are about 15 cm long, pinnately divided and rather thick.
The flower heads are borne at the stem tips, about 5 cm across, bright yellow, made up entirely of tubular florets, and shaped like a thistle flower.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings or division.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated place.
It dislikes acidic soil and heat and humidity.
Take care not to let it become too humid when watering; 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 no fertilizing is particularly needed if base fertilizer has been applied, but for potted plants, chemical fertilizer may be placed on the soil once a month.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
