Asteraceae

Acroptilon repens

Russian Knapweed

Erect stems from black, mealy, creeping roots, have matted hairs pointing upward. Lower leaves oblong, lobed; upper leaves linear, entire or toothed. Flowers small, dark maroon, blue, or white in papery tan cups with several rows of bracts. Grows in cultivated soils, roadsides, in wet and dry areas to subalpine. Noxious weed, toxic to horses. All parts taste extremely bitter.

• Rarity: Locally Common
• Flowering Time: All Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 12--40 inches
• Habitat: Meadow, Disturbed, Shrub-Steppe
• Found In: Investations In Various Places
• Native: No