American Basketflower

Centaurea americana, commonly called American starthistle or American basketflower, is an annual native to the southern central United States and northeastern Mexico. Its common name comes from the underside of the inflorescence, which has a basket weave pattern on it and on the flowerbuds.

The best time to plant American Basketflower is in the fall, from August to November. This is because American Basketflower seeds have a high dormancy rate, which means they need to go through a cold period before they will germinate. Planting the seeds in the fall allows them to experience this cold period and germinate in the spring.