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Common centaury Facts

Common centaury Facts
Common centaury is herbaceous plant that belongs to the gentian family. It grows natively in Central Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. Common centaury has been introduced to North America and eastern Australia, where it grows in abundance today. Common centaury can be found on the slopes, in dry grasslands, sand dunes, woodlands and near the roads. It thrives in arid areas with sandy or loamy, well-drained soil, exposed to direct sunlight. Common centaury tolerates partial shade and soil of poor quality. People discovered healing properties of common centaury few thousand years ago. This plant is still very popular and frequently used for the preparation of various herbal remedies.
Interesting Common centaury Facts:
Common centaury has erect, multi-branched stem that can reach 6 to 12 inches in height. Stiff stem is square-shaped on the cross section.
Common centaury develops two types of leaves: 1. shiny, light green, oval leaves arranged in the form of basal rosette and 2. small, triangular-shaped, sessile (without petioles) leaves arranged in opposite pairs on the stem.
Common centaury develops numerous pinkish-purplish flowers arranged in clusters that grow parallel with the stem and intertwine with leaves. Flowers consist of five petals and they are star-shaped. Common centaury produces flowers with both types of reproductive organs (perfect flowers).
Common centaury blooms from June to October. Flowers open in the morning and close during the afternoon. They attract bees, flies and beetles, main pollinators of this species.
Fruit of common centaury is cylindrical capsule.
Common centaury propagates via seed.
Common centaury is named after Greek centaur Chiron, who was famous for its ability to recognize medical potential of various plants (including common centaury).
Common centaury was frequently used in treatment of snake bites and fever in the past, hence the nickname "feverwort".
People believed that common centaury provides protection against evil spirits during the Middle Ages.
Tea or tonic made of common centaury can be used to stimulate gastric motility and to improve digestion, circulation and function of sympathetic nervous system. Common centaury acts beneficially on the function of liver and kidneys. Crushed herb can be used externally to alleviate pain of various superficial wounds and facilitate healing of lesions.
Common centaury has very bitter taste, but it can be safely consumed. It effectively stimulates appetite when it is consumed before meal.
Common centaury can be used for the preparation of bitter herbal liqueurs and vermouth (type of wine flavored with various herbs).
Flowers of common centaury can be used as a source of yellowish-green pigment.
Despite ornamental morphology, common centaury is rarely cultivated in gardens because it requires special type of soil for the proper growth.
Common centaury is biennial plant, which means that it completes life cycle in 2 years.


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