Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow' (Mountain Cornflower)

Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow' is a bicolor cultivar of cornflower, an upright, clump-forming perennial wildflower related to the thistle. 'Amethyst in Snow,' was named for its bicolor white and amethyst purple blooms, producing flowers in the late spring and early summer. Flowers are attractive to a wide variety of pollinators including native bees and butterflies.

Centaurea montana typically grows to between one and two feet tall, and spreads very slowly, but in optimal conditions and fertile soil, it can colonize an area rapidly. Originally native to sub-alpine areas of Europe, care should be taken in choosing a suitable location when planting Centaurea montana, as it has been classified as an invasive in some parts of Canada.