Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Montana and Wyoming, also from Great Lakes region east to northeastern North America.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, ditches, wastelots, and other disturbed, open areas.
Flowers: July-September
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bees, flies, beetles, wasps
Perennial, the stem 2-10 dm. tall, the herbage rough-puberulent to sub-glabrous.
Lower leaves oblanceolate, petiolate, often coarsely few-lobed; middle and upper leaves smaller, becoming sessile, mostly toothed to entire.
Heads terminating the numerous branches; involucre 11-18 mm. high, higher than broad; the middle and outer involucre bracts usually with comb-like, blackish appendages 1-3 mm. long; flowers all tubular, the marginal flowers enlarged; pappus none.
Achene.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Centaurea nigrescens in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Centaurea nigrescens checklist entry
OregonFlora: Centaurea nigrescens information
E-Flora BC: Centaurea nigrescens atlas page
CalPhotos: Centaurea nigrescens photos