REPORT

Invasive Plant Details

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Mountain Bluet

Latin Name: Centaurea montana

Priority Ranking: High Priority

Identification

Flower: Large, showy blue or purple, thistle-like flower heads that bloom from late spring to midsummer.

Leaves: Narrow, lance-shaped, and slightly hairy, with a grey-green colour.

Stems: Erect, branching, and slightly hairy, growing up to 60 cm tall.

Growing Environment: Prefers well-drained soils in meadows, gardens, and open woodlands.

Growth Habit: A perennial herb that forms dense clumps and spreads via seeds and rhizomes. It can create small, colourful patches in meadows and gardens. In situ, mountain bluet appears as a low, bushy plant with large, striking blue or purple flowers.

Priority Ranking: High Priority

Impacts on Environment

Impacts: Very invasive. Mountain bluet can colonize quickly through seeds and rhizomes. It can invade agricultural pastures and decrease food sources for livestock. This species tolerates both dry and moist soils, allowing it to grow in many types of ecosystems.

Photo Credits: Photo credit from Andrea