Editing Centaurea diffusa (section)

==Description==
[[File:Centaurea diffusa 3.jpg|thumb|left|Centaurea diffusa basal rosette, first year plant]]Diffuse knapweed is an [[annual plant|annual]] or [[biennial plant]], generally growing to between 10 and 60&nbsp;cm in height. It has a highly branched stem and a large [[taproot]], as well as a basal rosette of [[leaf|leaves]] with smaller leaves alternating on the upright stems. [[Flower]]s are usually white or pink and grow out of urn-shaped [[Head (botany)|heads]] carried at the tips of the many branches. Diffuse knapweed often assumes a short rosette form for one year, reaching maximum size, then rapidly growing and flowering during the second year. A single plant can produce approximately 18,000 [[seeds]].<ref>Harris, P., and R. Cranston. 1979. An economic evaluation of control methods for diffuse and spotted knapweed in western Canada. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 59:375-382.</ref>