Centaurea nigra 'Waterfall White'

Hardhead Asteraceae

A rather glamorous departure from the usual purple hardhead, Centaurea nigra ‘Waterfall White’ is a pure white-flowered form of our native Common Knapweed, found growing on a Staffordshire farm and named ‘Waterfall White’ after the farm on which it occurred. Like the species, it is wonderfully unfussy, growing on everything from free-draining calcareous meadow to acid clay, provided it has an open, sunny position. The white flowerheads are excellent for bees and butterflies and make this a particularly useful native for meadow-style planting. In richer garden soil it becomes impressively substantial.

Height: 60–120cm.

Spread: 40–60cm.

Flowers: June–August.

Hardiness: H7, (below –20°C)