any of various weedy centaureas; especially : a widely naturalized European perennial (Centaurea nigra) with tough wiry stems and knobby heads of purple flowers
knapweed
noun(knap-weed)
a knapweed (Centaurea maculosa synonym C. biebersteinii) with usually pink flowers and deeply cleft leaves that is native to Europe and Asia but is now widespread in the U.S.