Authors: L.  

Botanical Description

Clump to colony-forming, 30-50cm or more in height. Stems erect, simple, broadly winged. Leaves ovate to broadly lanceolate, white-woolly beneath, green above. Flowerheads 5cm or more in diameter, the inner florets violet, the outer ones blue, spring to summer. C.m. 'Alba' has white flowers, 'Rosea' (syn. 'Carnea') is pink, 'Rubra', rose-red and 'Parham', rich amethyst. Europe, in mountain woods and meadows, and among rocks up to 2120m. Inclined to be invasive in some soils and rather large for most rock gardens.