,
Quebec, Canada
Centaurea nigra boasts high nectar and pollen production relative to other British perennial meadow flowers. Nectar, pollen and seeds are highly important food resources to many species of invertebrates and birds. In its native range,
C. nigra can therefore greatly improve biodiversity values and ecosystem services, such as pollination, when planted with a variety of other
forbs, for example on field margins. In its introduced range,
C. nigra is often considered a weed because it excludes native vegetation and can reduce agricultural potential. In the United States, it invades meadows where it excludes native vegetation, thereby impacting native biodiversity. In Australia and New Zealand,
C. nigra is known to invade grasslands, wastelands (e.g. railway lines, roadsides, waste areas) and agricultural lands. ==Similar species==