Description
The cornflower is a herbaceous plant of the aster family. It occurs mainly in Europe and the Mediterranean region, and also in Asia. It is a common field weed and an archaeophyte.
The plants reach 30–80 cm and have upright, very heavily branched, angular stems. The basal leaves, growing from the lower or underground part of the stem, are pinnately divided, while the stem leaves are lance-shaped, narrow, very numerous and upright on young shoots. The stems and leaves are hairy.
Plants sown in spring flower from July to the end of August; those sown in autumn flower in June of the following year. The flower heads, 3 cm across, sit singly at the tips of the shoots and consist only of tubular florets. The florets in the outer whorls are larger and longer, with a funnel-shaped corolla, in blue, white or pink.
Requirements
The cornflower needs fertile, free-draining soil and a sunny position.
Propagation
It is propagated by seed sown outdoors in autumn, in a cold frame in March, or outdoors at the beginning of April. An autumn sowing should be protected from low temperatures by covering the seeds with leaves and spruce branches.
Care
Plant at 25–30 x 15 cm in borders, and dwarf varieties in flower beds. It is also suitable as a cut flower.
Water during droughts. The plants flower longer if the fading flowers are removed so that they do not set seed.