Alpine cephalaria

Family Dipsacaceae. Description: Widespread in Southern Europe, the Crimea, and the Caucasus. The genus comprises about 60 species.

Rhizomatous perennial from Southern Europe. A bush up to 2 m tall. Leaves large, pinnately divided. Flowers small, lemon-yellow, gathered in head-like inflorescences. Blooms in May - June. Winter-hardy.

Site: It is advisable to plant the cephalaria in open locations, near walls, fences, or on dedicated supports. It tolerates light shading. It can remain in one place for at least 10 years, becoming progressively more vigorous.

Soil: undemanding. In moderately moist soils it reaches very large sizes.

Propagation: by seed. Old inflorescences are best removed, as the cephalaria readily reproduces by self-seeding. Large, elongated, ribbed seeds ripen as early as late August. They require stratification, so it is better to sow them in autumn (before winter). Seedlings with thick cotyledons, somewhat resembling cucumber cotyledons, are easily visible. The first leaf is entire, and subsequent leaves gradually become pinnate or lyrate. Flowering begins in the second year.

Usage: for solitary specimen plantings on lawns. The cephalarias attract an enormous number of pollinators; there is almost always someone buzzing around them, and in summer—especially peacock butterflies—there are often more butterflies on each "bush" than there are inflorescences.