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To offer a suggestion or report an error on the King County Noxious Weeds Web site, please contact Sasha Shaw, education specialist.

Bighead Knapweed
Centaurea macrocephalabighead knapweed flower

This Class A noxious weed has a limited distribution in Washington and eradication is required. The largest field infestation in Washington State is from Pend Oreille County, where control work on a 10 acre site has been in progress since 1990.

Bighead knapweed is a perennial herb with single yellow, globe shaped flower heads that are about 1 - 3 inches in diameter. It grows on sturdy stock, reaching 5 feet tall. This plant spreads by seed and it has the capability to establish in natural areas, particularly in subalpine meadows.

This plant is sometimes found as a garden ornamental. However, it is on the WSDA prohibited plants list (external link, Acrobat file) and it is illegal to buy, sell or offer it for sale in the state of Washington. For more information about bighead knapweed, please see the Bighead Knapweed Weed Alert or the written findings of the WA State Noxious Weed Control Board.

For information on identifying invasive knapweed species, please read the informative Selected Knapweeds of Washington brochure (316 KB Acrobat file).

If you find bighead knapweed in King County, please notify us through our online infestation form.

To find out where we have records of this weed in King County, use our interactive noxious weed map and search Arc IMS Search Tool for bighead knapweed.

Bighead knapweed photos - click thumbnail to see larger image

bighead knapweed plants - click to see larger image bighead knapweed - click to see larger image bighead knapweed - click to see larger image

Related Information

Agencies

Program offices are located at 201 S. Jackson St., Suite 600, Seattle, WA 98104. To contact a staff member at the King County Noxious Weed Control Program, please call 206-296-0290 or by reach them by email.