Meadow Knapweed | Slide Mouse

Meadow knapweed is a hybrid species with its parentage in europe.

Meadow knapweed. Brown knapweed was purposefully introduced to north america as a forage crop. Bracts are light to dark brown with papery fringed margins. Initially introduced in the northwest for livestock forage it is now well established in western oregon counties where it is considered invasive. Black knapweed was probably introduced to north america from ship ballast or as an ornamental.

Nigra and its phyllaries are intermediate between the two. Meadow knapweed page 2. Phyllary appendages lower on the involucre are triangular in outline with many narrow regular comb like teeth around the edges which are more similar to black knapweed then transform to less finely divided papery and ragged edged appendages similar to brown knapweed on the upper part of the involucre. Many farmers have managed to bring knapweed home in grass hay or on the tires of their trucks without knowing it spreading this weed even further.

Knapweed is a noxious weed that is often found in ditches along highways in waterways and other scrubby areas. This plant can hybridize with other knapweeds allowing for aggressive dispersal. Meadow knapweed grows best in sunny wet conditions such as roadsides riparian areas and wet meadows. Meadow knapweed is a perennial that grows from a woody crown.

Meadow knapweed page 1. It does produce an abundance of nectar late in the season for honeybees. Both parent species are sold as flower seeds in the united states and europe. Its foliage is coarse and tough and not generally palatable to livestock.

Meadow knapweed centaurea debeauxii ssp. General description as a hybrid between brown knapweed and black knapweed centaurea jacea and centaurea nigra and possibly centaurea nigrescens meadow knapweed can have variable characteristics between the parent plants. It can outcompete native vegetation resulting in habitat loss. It is a perennial that typically grows between 1 and 5 feet tall.

Meadow knapweed is an invasive species. Meadow knapweed from europe is a hybrid of black and brown knapweeds. Thuillieri is a fertile hybrid between black knapweed centaurea nigra and brown knapweed centaurea jacea. Flower heads are solitary at tips of the branches pink to purple in color and 3 4 of an inch in size.

Black knapweed centaurea nigra which is native to the british isles and brown knapweed centaurea jacea which is native to continental europe. It is well adapted to western washington where it invades pastures parks lawns industrial sites tree farms vacant lands railroads and roadsides. The upright stems grow from 20 to 40 inches tall and branch near the middle.