Centaurea jacea subsp. nigra

Black knapweed, Black Knapweed

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Black knapweed is a naturalized perennial found in northern California coastal regions, Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, and California Ranges in disturbed places at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering from August to November, this plant produces purple flowers in distinctive heads with dark brown to black fringed phyllary tips. Growing with erect stems that develop swollen peduncles just below each flower head, it forms dense clusters in open areas. Its leaves are lanceolate, creating a complex texture across the plant's structure. The flower heads feature disk flowers measuring 15 to 18 millimeters long, with intricate dark brown to black appendages that create a striking visual contrast.

Habitat: Disturbed places

Bloom period: Aug-Nov

Elevation: < 600 m

Bioregions: NCo, KR, NCoRO, CaRF

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.