Centaurea cyanus L.
Blaver
Cornflower is a slender annual of the daisy family, instantly known for its intense sky-blue flowerheads, each ringed with frilled, almost ragged outer florets above narrow, grey-green leaves on wiry, branching stems. Once one of the most familiar weeds of cereal fields across Britain, it has declined dramatically as arable farming intensified and is now extremely scarce in the truly wild state, surviving mainly where it is deliberately sown.
About
Cornflower is a slender annual of the daisy family, instantly known for its intense sky-blue flowerheads, each ringed with frilled, almost ragged outer florets above narrow, grey-green leaves on wiry, branching stems. Once one of the most familiar weeds of cereal fields across Britain, it has declined dramatically as arable farming intensified and is now extremely scarce in the truly wild state, surviving mainly where it is deliberately sown.
Though native to mainland Europe, in Britain it is best regarded as an ancient introduction that travelled in with grain crops, so it sits naturally in cornfield and pictorial annual mixes rather than in permanent meadows. It enjoys an open, sunny position on light, well-drained, disturbed ground and flowers through high summer, when its nectar-rich heads draw bees, butterflies and hoverflies. As a fast, free-flowering annual it is a mainstay of annual wildflower seed mixes and is easily raised from a spring sowing on bare soil.
Also known as
Blue-poppy · Bluebonnets · Brushes · Corn-pinks · Cornflower · Garden Cornflower · Hurtsickle · Thimbles · Witch's-bells
Synonyms
Centaurea cyaneum · Centaurea cyanocephala · Centaurea cyanus coa · Centaurea cyanus cyanus · Centaurea cyanus denudata · Centaurea cyanus violacea · Centaurea cynarocephala · Centaurea hoffmanniana · Centaurea hortorum · Centaurea lanata · Centaurea pulcherrima
In our seed mixes
- 100% Poppy & Cornflower Mix
- BFS 14 – Brownfield Site Wildflower Mix (Open Mosaic Habitat on Previously Developed Land) – 80% Flora
- BFS 140 – Bat Friendly Wildflower Seed Mix – 100% Flora
- BFS14(F) – Brownfield Site 100% Wildflower Mix
- UM12 – Purple Glade – Perennial Wildflower Mix
- UM4 – Contrasting Annual Wildflower Mix
- UM5 – Golden Summer Annual Wildflower Mix
- UM7 – Hardy Annuals Wildflower Mix
- UM8 – Jubilee Wildflower Mix (Red, White and Blue)
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.