- Lifespan
- 2–3 years, typically biennial or short-lived perennial
- Size & Weight
- 30–60 cm tall; flower heads 30–50 mm diameter
- Habitat
- Grasslands, meadows, roadsides, and disturbed ground, preferring well-drained soils and open sunny locations.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK, widespread and common in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland; native to most of Britain.
- Diet
- Does not feed; as a plant, it produces energy through photosynthesis.
- Predators
- Herbivorous insects including leaf beetles, sawfly larvae, and various caterpillars; livestock may graze it.
- Mating Season
- Flowers June to August; peak flowering July
- Breeding
- Reproduces by seed; produces numerous small seeds dispersed by wind; a single plant can produce over 26,000 seeds.
- Behaviour
- A prolific self-seeder that can form dense colonies in undisturbed grasslands. Highly attractive to pollinators including bees, hoverflies, and butterflies. Considered invasive in some regions outside the UK.