Persian Cornflower, Knapweed 'John Coutts'

'John Coutts' has flowers colored a deeper pink than the species.

At Longwood Gardens, this has an initial bloom beginning...Read More in mid May and continuing for about a month. If spent flower stems are cut back then, bloom resumes, less profusely, in 3-8 weeks and continues through October.

The large, lacy, deeply cut leaves are deep green above and velvety silver/white below.

Best in full sun with ordinary moist well-drained soil. Prefers lean soils. Grows from a woody rootstock. Spreads vigorously where happy, and needs regular division. Intolerant of shade.

This species performs best in cool summer climates. Where summers are hot or the soil is too rich, growth is lanky and floppy.

Seed-propagated plants do not come true.

I had to transfer this plant to a large pot after moving house and it remained in the pot for 18 months. It continued to grow and increa...Read Morese although pot-bound.
It has since been split and planted into the garden at a different property and has been a mass of beautiful flowers.