RUTHIE'S "MOUNTAIN BLUET"

 

Ruthie's "Mountain Bluet"
(Centaurea montana,)  
a perennial now established at
The Shaw Island Gatehouse.
Seed packets available.

Common Name: Mountain Bluet

Botanical Name: Centaurea montana 

Family: Asteraceae

Native Range: Damp meadows in European mountain ranges. 

Hardiness Zones: 03-8

Height: 1-2 feet

Spread: 1- 1 1/2 feet.

Blooms: Blue in May-June, with the possibility of a few flowers to follow the main bloom.

Sun: They prefer full sun but grow well at the Gatehouse in part shade.

Water: Dry to medium.

Maintenance: Low

Suggested use: Naturalize

Tolerates: Deer, drought, dry soil.

Culture: Easy to grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Remove spent blooms unless you are saving seeds for Cherie.

Characteristics: Erect, clump-forming; stoloniferous; free from harmful toxins.

Problems: no serious insect or disease problems.

Uses: Best massed in border fronts, cottage gardens, along pathways, cutting gardens, pollinator gardens, or naturalized areas. Seldom used in modern herbalism. Attracts bees and butterflies.

Nectar source for pollinators. 

Mountain Bluet seeds
(Centaurea montana)
Now available at the 
Shaw Island Gatehouse
Reefnet Bay Road,
Shaw Island,
San Juan Archipelago, WA.