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The National Collection of Centaurea

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Bide-A-Wee Gardens are proud to be the holder of the National Collection of Centaurea. The National Plant Collection® scheme is where individuals or organisations undertake to document, develop and preserve a comprehensive collection of one group of plants in trust for the future.

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Conservation of plants for the future

Centaurea is part of the Knapweed family whose common feature is the structure of the flower, a scaly brown base tightly gather the multiple petals, very reminiscent of the thistle, but without the spikes in the majority of species.

Many hundred of species exist with only two perennial species truly native of the British Isles C. nigra and C. scabiosa. Centaurea nigra grows in abundance in Northumberland, often in wet pasture, moor and along burns.

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Over 90 species and cultivars of Centaurea

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Our extensive and unique Centaurea collection boosts over 90 species and cultivars, the majority are integrated throughout the garden at Bide-a-Wee, and in the fullness of time are offered for sale through the Bide-A-Wee Nursery.

Centaurea range in size from the ground hugging Centaurea mollis, with prostrate foliage and lavender blue flowers. To the giant Centaurea macrocephala, growing up to 4ft with large yellow flower heads. The first Centaurea to flower are the montana's a European native which in late May flower in a variety of pastel shades. Robust in constitution, a survivor in many a neglected garden. Responding well to being cut back after flowering it is eminently suitable to naturalise in meadows.

The end of the summer and our open season is marked by the flowering of C. nigra, our native hard head, providing a succession of mauve flowers from late summer, growing here on nearby Simonside together with Heather (Calluna vulgaris) both flowering brilliantly at the same time and good for our bees to boost their winter stores.

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Current Centaurea species and cultivars

  • Centaurea achtarovii

  • Centaurea alba

  • Centaurea alpestris

  • Centaurea alpestris

  • Centaurea atropurpurea

  • Centaurea bella

  • Centaurea bella

  • Centaurea benoistii

  • Centaurea benoistii atropurpurea

  • Centaurea `Blue Dreams`

  • Centaurea cheiranthifolia

  • Centaurea cheiranthifolia var purpurascens

  • Centaurea dealbata

  • Centaurea dealbata alba

  • Centaurea dealbata `Steenbergii`

  • Centaurea declinata

  • Centaurea fischeri

  • Centaurea glastifolia

  • Centaurea `Hoar Frost`

  • Centaurea hypoleuca

  • Cenraurea hypoleuca `John Coutts`

  • Centaurea jacea

  • Centaurea jacea

  • Centaurea kotschyana

  • Centaurea macrocephala

  • Centaurea marschalliana

  • Centaurea mollis

  • Centaurea montana

  • Centaurea montana alba

  • Centaurea montana carnea

  • Centaurea montana Dark form

  • Centaurea montana`Gold Bullion`

  • Centaurea montana `Grandiflora`

  • Centaurea montana `Joyce`

  • Centaurea montana`Lady Florence Hastings`

  • Centaurea montana `Lilac Strain`

  • Centaurea montana from Mark`s house

  • Centaurea montana `Ochroleuca`

  • Centaurea montana `Parham`

  • Centaurea montana `Parham`

  • Centaurea montana`Puurple Prose`

  • Centaurea montana violacea

  • Centaurea montana`Violetta`

  • Centaurea nigra (Lesser knapweed)

  • Centaurea nigra (Lesser knapweed)

  • Centaurea nigra subsp. rivularis

  • Centaurea orientalis

  • Centaurea pannonica subsp.pannonica

  • Centaurea phrygia

  • Centaurea pink

  • Centaurea pseudophrygia

  • Centaurea pulcherrima

  • Centaurea pulcherrima

  • Centaurea `Pulchra Major`

  • Centaurea rhapontica

  • Centaurea rupestris

  • Centaurea rutifolia

  • Centaurea salonitana

  • Centaurea scabiosa

  • Centaurea scabiosa f.albifolia

  • Centaurea scabiosa f.albifolia

  • Centaurea scabiosa `Nell Hill`

  • Centaurea simplicicaulis

  • Centaurea sp. Tatra Mountains

  • Centaurea stenolepsis subsp.razgradensis

  • Centaurea triumfettii subsp.cana `Rosea`

  • Centaurea triumfettii subsp. Stricta

  • Centaurea triumfettii sudsp.stricta

  • Centaurea uniflora nervosa

  • Centaurea uniflora nervosa

  • Centaurea nigra var. alba

  • Centaurea `Caramia`

  • Centaurea montana pale pink

  • Centaurea macrocephala selected form

  • Centaurea glastifolia

  • Centaurea rupestris

  • Centaurea alpestris

  • Centaurea glastifolia

  • Centaurea orientalis

  • Centaurea glastifolia

  • Centaurea bella

  • Centaurea thracica

  • Centaurea montana `Joyce`

  • Centaurea montana `Purple Prose`

  • Centaurea triumfetti `Hoar Frost`

  • Centaurea fischeri Willd.

  • Centaurea triumfett1 `Blue Dreams`

  • Centaurea cheiranthifolia

  • Centaurea nigra `Elstead`

  • Centaurea montana `Ochroleuca`

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National Collections

To find out more about the National Collection and the NCCPG use the following links:

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