Cornflower - Care Sheet
Centaurea cyanus
Overview
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), also called bachelor’s button or bluebottle, is a hardy annual famed for its vivid true-blue blooms and easygoing nature. Native to European cornfields, it thrives in lean, well-drained soil and full sun, rewarding even novice gardeners with weeks of flowers from early to late summer. Plants typically reach 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) tall, attract pollinators, and make excellent cut flowers. In mild regions, autumn sowing produces sturdier, taller stems and earlier blooms; in cooler climates, spring sowing is simple and reliable. Once established, cornflowers are drought-tolerant, need little to no feeding, and often self-seed, returning year after year with minimal effort.
Quick Facts
| Scientific name | Centaurea cyanus |
|---|---|
| Common name | Cornflower; bachelor’s button; bluebottle |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Pet‑safe? | Yes (non-toxic to cats and dogs); ingestion of any plant material may cause mild stomach upset |
| Light | Full sun, 6–8+ hours direct light |
| Water | Keep evenly moist to establish; then water when top 2.5–3 cm (1 in) of soil dries; ~25 mm (1 in) per week in dry spells |
| Humidity | Averages are fine; prefers good air flow |
| Temperature | Germinates from ~8°C (46°F); best growth 10–24°C (50–75°F); tolerates light frost; declines in sustained heat >30°C (86°F) |
| Soil | Lean, well-drained, sandy/gravelly/chalky; pH ~6.6–7.5; avoid
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