Centaurea calcitrapa (purple starthistle)

Centaurea calcitrapa

Photo courtesy Joseph DiTomaso

Centaurea calcitrapa (purple starthistle) grows as an annual, biennial or perennial (family Asteraceae) in fields, roadsides, disturbed open sites, grasslands, overgrazed rangelands, and logged areas in the northern and central coast ranges of California. Centaurea species may produce allelopathic effects and are highly competitive with other plants, often displacing desired vegetation.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: Moderate

Cal-IPC Resources on Centaurea calcitrapa

• California Invasive Plant Inventory Assessment Form (pdf) - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.
• Species account from Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands - Includes biology and management information.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter. Each issue is available as a pdf. List of articles on Centaurea calcitrapa.
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium. List of articles on Centaurea calcitrapa.
• California distribution map - Maps based on survey data from county Weed Management Areas. These maps are the product of those working in the field and are not intended to be definitive.

Cal-IPC News Articles

• (1993). California Exotic Pest Plant Council draft list exotic plants of greatest concern October 1993. CalEPPC News. 1: 6.
• DiTomaso, J. (1998). Results of the CalEPPC questionnaire at Symposium '98 in Ontario. CalEPPC News. 6: 4.
• Pitcairn, M. (2000). All weeds that have approved biological control agents, accidental introductions and others. CalEPPC News. 8.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• Butler, E. and S. Britting (1998). Mapping and control of weeds in the American River Parkway. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '98. Ontario, CA.
• Carrithers, V. F. (1997). Using Transline* herbicide to control invasive plants. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '97. Concord, CA.
• Cooper, V. K. and B. J. Moritsch (1999). Weeding the wilderness: Non-native plant management at Point Reyes National Seashore. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '99. Sacramento, CA.
• DiTomaso, J. M. (1995). Overview of extension non-crop weed research in California. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '95. J. Lovich, J. Randall and M. Kelly. Pacific Grove, CA.
• DiTomaso, J. M. (1997). Risk analysis of various weed control methods. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '97. Concord, CA.
• DiTomaso, J. M., C. Benefield, et al. (1998). Reproductive biology of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) maximizing late season control. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '98. Ontario, CA.
• DiTomaso, J. M., G. B. Kyser, et al. (1998). Prescribed burning for control of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) and enhanced native plant diversity. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '98. Ontario, CA.
• Gluesenkamp, D. (2003). Marin-Sonoma Weed Management Area: Putting the ‘we’ in weed management. California Invasive Plant Council Symposium 2003. Kings Beach, CA.
• Rusmore, J. T. (1995). Use of fire and cutting to control yellow starthistle. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '95. M. Kelly and J. Lovich. Pacific Grove, CA.
• Young, J. A., C. D. Clements, et al. (2000). Purple starthistle seed germination. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium 2000. M. Kelly. Ontario, CA.

Other Resources on Centaurea calcitrapa

• USDA PLANTS database - Federal database with information on identification and distribution, and links to websites in individual states.
• Jepson Online Interchange for California Flora - Information on taxonomy, biology, and distribution from the UC Berkeley Jepson Herbarium.
• CalFlora - Distribution information by county based on submitted observations and herbarium specimens.
• The Nature Conservancy Management Summary - Information compiled by TNC land managers. Photos included for some species.
• Encycloweedia - Plants rated as noxious weeds by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.

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