Unfortunately, everything that looks appealing is not a good thing.
This plant opened its blooms this week with a pretty show of purple among the other wildflowers in the pond area. We had watched this plant through Spring because we did not see it last season here.
Despite its interesting bloom, Spotted Knapweed Centaurea stoebe is on the Minnesota prohibited weed list. Knapweeds are invasive plants that can out-compete native plants with chemicals that poison the soil and inhibit native plants.
Note: This is a non-native invasive plant that can compete with native wildflowers. Letting it grow here will reduce the good quality wildlife habitat in the natural wetland around our pond. We will be removing it.
