Spotted Knapweed

Centaureae stoebe is an exotic wildflower species labeled ‘Prohibited Control’ on the MN Noxious Weed list. Given that spotted knapweed’s cousins, ‘brown’, ‘diffuse’ and ‘meadow’, are also considered noxious invasive species (one step higher on the wanted list labeled ‘Prohibited Eradicate’), this genus is scandalously notorious.

The ‘spotted’ appellation comes from the markings on the bulbous bract area from which the flower emerges. This area is covered with brown spots resembling upside-down Vs.