Cineraria centaurea

DESCRIPTION OF CENTAUREA CINERARIA

The Centaurea cineraria forms a dense bush with bright grey leaves that turn almost white in summer. It is a plant cultivated precisely for the great ornamental value of its foliage, which, however, does not stem from purely aesthetic reasons: this very particular colour is in fact due to the extremely dense and fine fuzz that covers the leaf, retaining moisture on the surface of the plant and reducing transpiration. This mechanism allows the plant to resist drought conditions as best as possible. In addition to being part of the plant's evolutionary intelligence, the tiny hairs of the Centaurea cineraria (called trichomes) give the leaf a pleasant velvety texture.

The Centaurea cineraria is very beautiful both on its own and paired with other border plants. It can therefore be used to create flowerbeds and borders, but it can also be grown in a pot to give a unique touch to a terrace. Its colour makes it a natural protagonist in the creation of a white or grey garden, in addition to being a more than welcome presence within a moon garden (that is, created to reach its maximum splendour in the evening, by the light of the moon).

The plant owes its name to the mythological figure of the centaur Chiron, an expert in medicinal plants and the teacher of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine.

GROWING AND MAINTENANCE OF CENTAUREA CINERARIA

The Centaurea cineraria is an easy-to-grow plant, with few demands and requiring few precautions. It has very rapid growth and has a high drought resistance, in addition to performing well even in particularly poor and stony soils. It is also able to resist salt spray and strong winds, characteristics that make it particularly suitable for gardens near the sea.

It is a rather resistant plant even with regard to pests and diseases. However, like all grey-leaved plants, the Centaurea cineraria is very sensitive to waterlogging. It is therefore necessary to keep the soil well-drained so as to prevent excessive moisture from leaving the door open to fungal attacks.

In summer, the Centaurea cineraria develops small pink-violet flowers. It is advisable to tidy up the Centaurea at the end of the flowering by removing the withered buds. Frequent pruning is not necessary, but vigorous rejuvenation pruning can be carried out approximately every 3 years.