Basketflower
Common Name: Basketflower
Other Name: American Star-thistle
Species Name: Centaurea americana
Family Name: Asteraceae, Sunflower Family
Examples of Basketflower Centaurea americana
| Plant Facts | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Native |
| Duration | Annual |
| Distribution in the U.S. | South-central, with populations found from Missouri to Louisiana in the east and to Arizona in the west |
| Distribution in Oklahoma | Throughout the state |
ID Characteristics
-
Field Identification Characteristics
- Leaves alternating, small and narrow but not sharp like thistle
- Little branching below and wide branching above
- Seed triangular with long fan of white hairs at base
- Large, showy pink flower heads; DO NOT confuse with thistles
- When dead, flower heads look like brown woven “baskets”
-
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
- Leaf Type: Simple
- Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
- Leaf Shape: Lanceolate
- Stipules: Absent
-
Floral Characteristics
- Petal Number: Numerous
- Flower Color: Pink
- Flower Timing: May-July
- Fruit Type: Achenes
| Habitat/Ecology | |
|---|---|
| Soil Type | Shallow and rocky |
| Habitat | Grasslands and roadsides |
| Successional Stage | Mid |