Brighton & Hove is showcasing the flourishing biodiversity in the area this month, as the city celebrates the vibrant common knapweed. Also known as Centaurea nigra, lesser knapweed, or black knapweed, this wildflower is a sight to behold with its pink-purple flower heads reaching up to a metre in height.
As part of a monthly series to highlight local plant species, the common knapweed is July’s pick due to its fantastic ability to bring a splash of colour to the city during the summer flowering period from June to September. Its beauty is not restricted to any specific location; it grows in various grassland habitats, including chalk downland, woodland, clifftops, lawns, and even roadside verges.
But the common knapweed isn’t just visually captivating. It’s an invaluable resource for the local ecosystem, specifically pollinators. Found to be among the top 5 UK plant species for nectar production, it becomes a banquet for a variety of insects such as hoverflies, beetles, bees, butterflies, and moths. Common blues, marbled whites, meadow browns, adonis blues, and dark green fritillaries are a few of the winged visitors that benefit from this plant’s nectar-rich offerings.
Throughout the city, common knapweed’s distinctive blooms are a common sight, particularly in parks and open spaces. Sheepcote Valley and Wilding Waterhall stand out as particularly knapweed-rich locations.
Speaking on the role of plants like common knapweed in urban ecosystems, Cheyenne Plant, Sustainability Officer at Brighton & Hove City Council, highlighted their significance.
“Many of the plants we see as weeds play a crucial role for biodiversity by providing food and offering shelter for insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals – linking the food web together.
“These plants are perfectly adapted to live in our urban landscapes on our chalky soils, and can help other plants to thrive by fixing nutritional imbalances in soil.
“Common knapweed is a great example of this. It’s a hardy species that is rich in nectar and pollen which forms an important part of our natural ecosystem here in Brighton & Hove.”
As the summer continues, residents and visitors are encouraged to take a moment to appreciate the common knapweed’s beauty and the ecological role it plays, ensuring Brighton & Hove remains a vibrant city teeming with biodiversity.
