Centaurea pouzinii
Pouzin's star-thistle
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Perennial · Not Native
Centaurea pouzinii (Pouzin's star-thistle) is a non-native California perennial in the Asteraceae family, recognized by limited geographic range and intermediate spine length (6-20mm) help distinguish it.
Pouzin's star-thistle is a naturalized perennial herb found in northern coastal California around Humboldt County and southern California near Corona in Riverside County, inhabiting pastures, grasslands, and disturbed places at elevations below 120 meters. Flowering from June to December, this plant produces pink-purple flowers in heads 14 to 17 millimeters long with distinctive stiffly spreading phyllary appendages featuring spines 6 to 20 millimeters long. Growing 2 to 10 meters tall with bushy, often mounded habit, it develops erect or wide-spreading stems that are branched throughout and slightly angled. Its leaves are finely cobwebby, with basal leaves 10 to 20 centimeters long deeply divided into narrow lobes, and upper stem leaves becoming progressively more linear and divided. The fruit is 2.5 to 4 millimeters long, ranging in color from white to dark brown with occasional brown streaking.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 13 sympatric species; limited geographic range and intermediate spine length (6-20mm) help distinguish it
Habitat and range
Habitat: Pastures, grassland, disturbed places
Elevation: < 120 m
Outside California: native to southwestern Europe
Bloom period
Centaurea pouzinii blooms Jun-Dec.
How to tell it apart
vs Cirsium: Cirsium bracts taper to simple spines; Centaurea bract tips expanded with fringed/toothed edges; vs Carduus: Carduus bracts spine-tipped but not fringed; Centaurea bract appendages distinctly fringed or toothed; vs Jacobaea: Jacobaea has obvious yellow ray flowers; Centaurea lacks true rays (all tubular flowers); vs Silybum: Silybum has white-veined leaves and simple spine-tipped bracts; Centaurea bracts ornately fringed; vs Eriophorum: Eriophorum is a sedge with grass-like leaves and cottony heads; Centaurea is a branched herb
Frequently asked questions
Is Centaurea pouzinii native to California?
No. Centaurea pouzinii is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Centaurea pouzinii bloom?
Centaurea pouzinii blooms Jun-Dec.
What plant family does Centaurea pouzinii belong to?
Centaurea pouzinii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Centaurea.
What habitat does Centaurea pouzinii grow in?
Centaurea pouzinii grows in Pastures, grassland, disturbed places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.