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Common Centaury

©Steve Chilton

Common centaury

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Scientific name: Centaurium erythraea
A low-growing plant of sand dunes, heaths and grassy places, Common centaury is in bloom over summer. Look for clusters of pretty, pink, five-petalled flowers.

Top facts

Stats

Height: up to 25cm

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

June to September

About

Common centaury is a low-growing biennial that is found on sand dunes, heaths, woodland rides, quarries and other dry, grassy areas. It is in bloom between June and September and, like other members of the gentian family, its pink flowers close during the afternoon.

What to look for

Common centaury has small, pink, five-petalled flowers that are held in clusters at the top of the stems. It has a rosette of oval leaves at the base of the stem, and oval leaves that appear in opposite pairs up the stem, too.

Where to find

Found throughout the UK, but scarcer in Scotland.

Habitats

Did you know?

Common centaury was used by traditional herbalists to control fevers.