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Spotted knapweed has pink to purplish flowers ~3/4" across composed of numerous tubular, branching, sterile ray florets with five lobes; the outermost ray florets are the longest. Disc florets ARE present, shorter and more erect than the ray florets but similar in appearance, with pink to white-tipped anthers and a divided style. The urn-shaped base of the flower is covered with tightly appressed oval bracts, each green with black tips; long, comb-like pale bristles radiate from the tip giving an appearance rather like a tick (inset).

Centaurea

Centaurea stoebe

spotted knapweed [Blooms: Jun-Sep]