| Common Name: | Spotted knapweed |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Centaurea |
| Species: | biebersteinii |
| Classification/Rank: | Extremely Invasive |
| Method of Transportation: | Vehicles, in hay and on/through animals. |
| Habitat/Range: | Open areas with well-drained soils such as grass-lands, roadsides, right-of-ways and open forests. Tolerant to dense shade. |
Spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii) is a very competitive weed of dry open sites. It displaces desirable forage and native plant species reducing the landscape carrying capacity for livestock and wildlife.
Spotted knapweed grows up to 1.5 m tall and has purple (occasionally white) flowers found at the ends of branches. The flowerhead has black-tipped bracts ("scales") that give the plants a spotted appearance. It can act like a biennial or short-lived perennial. It has hairy, deeply-cut leaves that become smaller towards the top of the plant.
For more information on Spotted knapweed visit the Weeds BC Spotted knapweed webpage. To report this plant call 1-866-44WEEDS or use the Report-A-Weed application.
The Northwest Invasive Plant Council will have an Information Booth at this year's BCNE, and we're looking for volunteers to help out.
You...
Watch this short video from the Province about invasive species and their impacts on BC - Invaders! Invasive Species in BC
