Cornflower Centaurea cyanus
Table of Contents
The cornflower is hardy, annual wildflower, once synonymous with cornfields and arable land, where it once thrived, Sadly, with the advent of modern farming methods and herbicide use, numbers have declined dramatically in the wild.
Plant Family: Asteraceae
Aliases: Bachelor’s button, blue bonnet, hurtsickle
Flowering period: June – August
Flower colour: Blue
Preferred soil type: Well drained
Habitat: Field margins, waste areas, disturbed ground
Status: Common
General information
A hardy, annual wildflower that’s a member of the daisy family and closely related to common knapweed. Cornflower was once a common sight in cornfields, along with other cornfield annual wildflowers, such as corn chamomile, corn-cockle, corn marigold and the common poppy. However, it was virtually wiped out by modern farming practices, primarily by the use of agricultural herbicides used to control broad-leaved weeds.
Nowadays cornflowers, along with the other cornfield annuals are widely used in wildflower seed mixtures. Wildflower rich habitats are being grown in private gardens, roadsides, embankments and urban areas to encourage pollinators and wildlife.
They thrive in sandy, free draining soils and prefer sites that receive ample sunlight.
Identification
Flowers: Very similar to other members of the daisy family, the flowers consist of a cluster of purplish central disc florets, surrounded by a small number of bright blue trumpet-shaped ray florets. The flower heads are between 15-30mm in diameter.
Leaves: The lower leaves are undivided or pinnately divided and narrow, the upper leaves are linear and unlobed.
Value for wildlife
Cornflowers produce a valuable source of pollen and nectar which attracts bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and parasitic wasps. The seeds are a food source for birds such as goldfinches.
Uses for cornflowers
The flowers are dried to make a herbal tea which has various medicinal uses. These include the treatment of constipation, water retention, eczema, menstrual craps and chest congestion. It’s also used as an appetite, gallbladder and liver stimulants.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to use, share and adapt any of the images on this page, under the condition we receive a followed backlink to our website https://diversegardens.co.uk as the image source.
