Centaurea montana 'Amethyst Dream' (Mountain Cornflower)

Centaurea montana 'Amethyst Dream' is a deep purple cultivar of cornflower, an upright, clump-forming perennial wildflower related to the thistle. Named for its attractive royal purple blooms, as well as its uniquely shingled looking flower buds, 'Amethyst Dream' produces flowers in the late spring and early summer. This cultivar's beautiful 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.