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.
Seeds germinate under a wide range of temperatures and can remain viable for up to 3 years under field conditions. Plants are grazed only when more suitable forage is lacking. Quarantining cattle and horses for at least 6 days after foraging on rangeland infested with flowering plants can help prevent the introduction of common crupina to non-infested sites. Unlike common crupina , the knapweeds have flower receptacles with bristles and leaf margins without bristly, barb-tipped hairs. Phyllary and achene characteristics are important in distinguishing these species .