# Maltese Star-Thistle (*centaurea melitensis*)

The Maltese Star-Thistle has bright yellow flowers that look like little stars! This plant is fun to find in the wild and is a food source for many insects.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** It typically grows in sunny grasslands and open fields.
- **Also known as:** Maltese Thistle, Mediterranean Thistle, Star Thistle

![Maltese Star-Thistle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/C._melitensis-7.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Philmarin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:C._melitensis-7.jpg)

## Appearance

The Maltese Star-Thistle has bright yellow, solitary flowers with sharp, spiny bracts that look like tiny stars or sunbursts. Its stems are slender and often branched, giving the plant a somewhat bushy appearance, and its leaves are grayish-green, often lobed or toothed.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Centaurea

## Interesting facts

- It's an expert at surviving droughts, thanks to its super-long root system!
- Its 'star' name comes from the spiky bracts beneath its yellow flowers!
- The seeds have a feathery parachute, helping them float away on the wind to new homes!
- This plant is often called a 'weed' because it's so good at growing almost anywhere!

## Special abilities

- **Spiky Shield:** Maltese Star-Thistle has sharp spines around its flowers and leaves that help protect it from hungry animals.
- **Rooty Reach:** This plant can grow a super long taproot, helping it find water deep underground during dry spells.
- **Seed Shower:** Maltese Star-Thistle produces many seeds that can spread far, helping it pop up in lots of new places.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Eaten by:** Star-thistle Flower Weevil (*Larinus curtus*) — larvae feed on seeds within the flower head
- **Eaten by:** Domestic Cattle (*Bos taurus*) — graze on young, less spiny plants

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Avoid touching the spiky leaves.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Maltese Star-Thistle?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Maltese Star-Thistle?

10-90 cm

### How wide does Maltese Star-Thistle spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Maltese Star-Thistle?

1-2 cm

### When does Maltese Star-Thistle bloom?

Late spring to mid-summer

### Is Maltese Star-Thistle edible?

Yes

### Is Maltese Star-Thistle toxic?

Mild

### What is Maltese Star-Thistle's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Gaviota State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gaviota-state-park) — California, US · State Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Maltese Star-Thistle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/maltese-star-thistle)