By Bernard
Cambridgeshire,
United Kingdom 
Centaurea montana peculiarity
My Centaureas seem to be behaving strangely this year. I am attaching a photo of part of one plant to illustrate the point. The flower is fine and below it is what seems to be an immature bud. I've added a close-up photo of the bud and it seemsto me as though it is on the verge of flowering, but elsewhere on the plant older buds are deteriorating and look to be dying. I'm thoroughly confused and would welcome an opinion from someone who understands what's going on.
16 May, 2011
Answers
Mine is doing the same Bernard I think mine is confused by the early heat/draught and some buds are are going to seed as they are confused as to time of year.
16 May, 2011
did you get that hard frost a couple of weeks ago? some of my buds got nipped and are failing to develop.
17 May, 2011
No we have not had frost here at all or rain just hot and dry. But Perhaps Bernard did?
17 May, 2011
No hard frost here recently - no rain either :-((. I have discovered that many problems can be laid at the door of lack of water and so I've given the plants a good soaking and will keep my eye on the bud in the photo and report back in a week.
17 May, 2011
As promised I have taken another picture, but it seems I can't add it here, so I've posted it as follow up as 'Centaurea peculiarity.'
25 May, 2011
Thanks B
25 May, 2011
Perhaps they're too dry and the bud's withering ?
Having said that, in my VERY dry garden, mine can be covered in powdery mildew and STILL flower their heads off, the buds are fine.
Too wet maybe ?
16 May, 2011