Cornflower

Cornflower
Family	Asteraceae
Name	Centaurea Spp.
Featured Plant	January 2005
Pictures: Cornflower Mountain Cornflower   See also:  Composite Flowers, Culture / Germination   Buy seeds:  Seeds - Annuals, Biennials and Perennials

A genus of annuals and perennials with predominantly blue flowers, but white, pink and reds are also available.

 Cornflower

Blue
Name	Centaurea cyanus
Common Names	Cornflower, Bachelors button

Cornflower is the most popular annual. Every year millions of plants are grown and sold through nurseries. This is not at all surprising for its flowers are sure to brighten up any dull garden.

It does well in sunny dry situations, often neglected but somehow still manages to produce a nice show of flowers. The flowers are suitable for cutting and drying, retaining their bright colour well. The original species is blue and grows quite tall, but dwarf cultivars exist that are white, pink and red, some are even double.

Cornflower originates from Europe where it grew as a corn field weed, and hence the name. It is now naturalised in North America.

Blue	Blue Bud	Pink Bud	Pink
White	Red	Red Opening

Culture:

 Mountain Cornflower

Flower
Name	Centaurea montana
Common Names	Mountain cornflower, Mountain knapweed

This low growing perennial cornflower has rather large flowers with thin rich blue petals. It is suitable for the front of the perennial border or in rock gardens.

Flower	Flower	Flower

Culture: