1. Asian plant widely grown for its sweetly fragrant pink flowers; sometimes placed in genus Centaurea
   "Sweet sultan is prized in cottage gardens for its delightful fragrance";
   - Amberboa moschata, Centaurea moschata
    
2. Perennial of mountains of Iran and Iraq; cultivated for its fragrant rose-pink flowers
   "Sweet sultan's perfumed blooms attracted butterflies to the garden";
   - Centaurea imperialis
    
3. Annual of Mediterranean to Portugal having hairy stems and minutely spiny-toothed leaves and large heads of yellow flowers
   "sweet sultan was traditionally used for medicinal purposes";
   - blessed thistle, Cnicus benedictus

Derived forms: sweet sultans

Type of: flower, thistle

Part of: Amberboa, Centaurea, Cnicus, genus Amberboa, genus Centaurea, genus Cnicus

Encyclopedia: Sweet sultan