Rosette leaves oblong to obovate, to 8 cm long, sessile or petioled, covered with short stiff hairs, and deeply once - pinnately divided with lobes narrow and opposing . Stems longitudinally ridged. Dense, fibrous roots. June until soil moisture is depleted. Receptacle with flattened, scale-like chaffy bracts.
Flower heads remaining on old stems can aid with species identification.
Refer to the Flower Head Comparison of White, Pink, or Purple-flowered Centaurea and Related Species Table for comparison. Grassy sites, rangelands, forested areas, and roadsides. Adaptable to many moisture and temperature regimes and soil tupes. Flower heads often disperse as a unit. Seed can survive ingestion by most animals, except sheep.