Centaurea gymnocarpa ~ Pink Dusty Miller

Centaurea gymnocarpa will give gray foliage in sun or shade. Plan ahead for a large and vigorous plant, three feet tall and 4-10 feet wide. Centaurea gymnocarpa may look cute in the pot but with no care it will readily grow to 10 feet across often swallowing everything in its path. Plan to do some regular substantial pruning and Centaurea gymnocarpa can be kept in check and looking good. The Pink Dusty Miller provides plenty of material for the compost heap. Centaurea gymnocarpa will show off its beautiful pink flowers in sun or shade. It is one of only a few gray plants that I know that will perform in dry shady conditions. Helichrysum petiolare and Plectranthus argentatus are other gray plants that can take a shady condition. It has survived temperatures into the low 20°'s F without damage. Centaurea gymnocarpa is a food source for the adult Painted Lady Butterfly, Gray Hairstreak, Great Purple Hairstreak, Hedgerow Hairstreak, California Common Ringlet, Mormon Metalmark, the Umber Skipper Butterfly, Cloudless Sulfur, White Checkered Skipper, Northern White Skipper, and the California Dogface Butterfly and is a great addition to the butterfly garden.