Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa)
Description:
Appearance: Biennial or short-lived perennial herbaceous plant, 2 - 3' high. Basal leaves form a rosette the first year from which grow 1- 20 wiry, hoary, branched stems during the second year.
Leaves: Alternate, grayish, hoary, and divided into lance-shaped lobes decreasing in size at the top.
Flowers: Thistle-like pink to purple flowers sit at the tips of terminal and axillary stems, bloom from July through September.
Seeds: Brownish, 1/4" long with small tuft of bristles, dispersed by rodents, livestock and commercial hay. Seed viable in the soil for 7 years.
Roots: Stout taproot. Lateral shoots form new rosettes near the parent plant.
Caution: Wear long sleeves and gloves, can be a skin irritant to some people.
