Centaurea montana Violetta

Centaurea montana 'Violetta' is a selection of perennial cornflower that stands out due to its distinctly violet flowers and beautiful vigour. Equally robust as its wild ancestor, this perennial forms beautiful tufts of green-grey and woolly foliage, which blooms happily between May and July depending on the region. The perennial cornflower enjoys both sun and partial shade, tolerates ordinary and even limestone soil, and thrives best in moist soil.

Spontaneous in the mountains of Europe, Centaurea montana is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Asteraceae family that develops from trailing rhizomes.  Hardy, easy and undemanding, this ornamental and medicinal plant has been cultivated for a long time in all gardens.

The 'Violetta' selection, from which it originates, has identical foliage, pubescent, giving it a woolly appearance, especially on the underside of the leaves. The foliage is deciduous, it disappears in winter. In the case of dry summers, it can also dry out, but will regenerate with the first watering or rain. This Violetta variety forms spreading clumps that quickly spread on the ground, with the leafy stems spreading out. It reaches 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in) in flower, 25 cm (10in) for the foliage, and spreads on the ground thanks to its trailing rhizomes. Its leaves are 5 to 6 cm (2in) long, lanceolate in shape, and their colour is a green tinged with grey. The flowering takes place from May to July, earlier or later depending on the region, and continues for several weeks as long as the soil remains somewhat moist. It takes the form of large, spreading flowers which are a bright violet colour on upright stems. It is a melliferous plant producing high-calorie pollen, highly appreciated by pollinating insects, especially bumblebees.

The perennial cornflower needs no introduction, as it is an excellent and adaptable perennial plant with robust qualities, whose blue flowers have adorned many gardens for centuries. It grows everywhere, in heavy or light soils and in sun or shade.  Coming back into fashion, cornflowers are returning with infinitely refined new colours. 'Violetta' is a pretty plant, easy to associate in rockeries or in borders with other small, trouble-free perennials such as euphorbias, Iberis and dusty millers, alyssums and aubrietas, and even late red, white or pink tulips.  It can be planted along borders, pathways, or lawns, and is perfect for creating lovely wildflower bouquets or drying its heads, which remain attractive for a long time.