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Annual

Cornflower

Centaurea cyanus

Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) growing in a UK garden

The cornflower is a hardy annual wildflower native to the UK, once a common sight in cereal fields before modern agriculture nearly eradicated it. Its vivid, true-blue flowers bloom from June to August and are a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. Modern garden varieties come in pink, white, maroon, and bicolour forms. Easy to grow from seed, cornflowers are perfect for cottage gardens, wildflower meadows, and naturalistic planting schemes.

How to grow cornflower

Sow seed directly outdoors from March to May for summer flowers, or in September for earlier blooms the following year. Scatter seed thinly and rake in lightly — cover with no more than 1 cm of soil. Thin seedlings to 20-25 cm apart. Choose a sunny spot with poor to average, well-drained soil. Like many wildflowers, cornflowers flower best in lean conditions. Do not feed. Water only during prolonged dry spells. Tall varieties may need support from twiggy sticks. Deadhead spent flowers to extend the blooming period. Alternatively, leave some heads to set seed for self-sowing — cornflowers naturalise freely and will reappear year after year. The flowers are edible and can be dried for tea or used as a garnish.

Pruning

No pruning required. Deadhead to prolong flowering or leave seed heads for birds and self-sowing. Pull up spent plants in autumn.

Propagation

  • Seed (sow directly March-May or September)
  • Self-seeding

Common problems

  • Powdery mildew
  • Rust
  • Aphids
  • Lodging in exposed sites

Good companions

Poppy

Papaver rhoeas

Nigella

Nigella damascena

Calendula

Calendula officinalis

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