Pronounced (approximate): sen-TAWR-ee-um pul-KEL-um
Small pink flowers have five lobes and yellow anthers. Opposite leaves occur along a branching stem.
Branching Centaury (Centaurium pulchellum): field photograph. Tap the photo to open the gallery.
Family Gentianaceae
Life cycle Annual
Blooms June – October
Height 2 to 6 inches
Habitat sun; disturbed soil; roadsides, railroads, waste areas, fields, lawns, wetland edges
Common names: Branching Centaury
Bloom timing varies with latitude, weather and local conditions.
Explore reported observations. Sightings are not a complete range map.
sun; disturbed soil; roadsides, railroads, waste areas, fields, lawns, wetland edges. Flowering season: June – October.
Compare with Common Centaury, which has a basal leaf rosette and more crowded, nearly stalkless flowers.
Small pink flowers have five lobes and yellow anthers.
Opposite leaves occur along a branching stem.
Flowers are stalked and a persistent basal rosette is absent. Pair close views with a photograph of the whole plant.
4 field photographs. Select a photograph to enlarge it; use Load more photos to see the rest.
Introduced in North America; native to Eurasia.
Reported U.S. distribution
AL, CO, CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SD, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Includes native and introduced state records where listed; a state record does not imply occurrence in every county.
Observation maps show submitted records, not every place the plant occurs. Follow local access rules when visiting a site.
Practice recognizing Branching Centaury in the flower quiz, or compare it with other plants in the guide.
Field photographs: Where’s Wildlife.