Family - Asteraceae

Stems - To 1m tall, tomentose to arachnoid pubescent, herbaceous.

Stem close-up.

Leaves - Alternate. Cauline leaves linear, entire, arachnoid pubescent, to +10cm long, +5mm wide.

Inflorescence - Single flower head terminating branches.

Involucre - Involucre to 1.5cm tall, imbricate, phyllaries with fimbriate margins.

Involucre.

Ray flowers - Absent.

Disc flowers - Corolla typically blue-purple but other colors in cultivated varieties, marginal flowers sterile. inner flowers smaller, fertile. Achenes to 4mm long. Pappus of capillary bristles.

Disk flowers.

Light pink form.

Flowering - May - September.

Habitat - Prairies, waste ground, roadsides, railroads. Also cultivated.

Origin - Native to Europe.

Other info. - This plant is heavily cultivated and escaped to a variety of locations. The disk flowers can be blue-purple, white, or pink. The plant is commonly used in dried flower arrangements.

Photographs taken at Schumaker Park, 6-16-99 and 7-12-00, and by Tom's Creek, NC., 4-20-03.