Bachelor Buttons

Cornflower, Bachelor Buttons

Centaurea cyanus L.

Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

▲ seedlings

▲ rosette stage

▲ cultivated flowering plants

▲ wild flowering plants

▲ inflorescence detail

Centaurea cyanus L., Cornflower, Bachelor’s Buttons: (Bayer Code: CENCY; US Code CECY2)

Native to Europe, was once a commonly-grown annual/biennial garden flower, now included in some wildflower mixes and sometimes escapes cultivation; also used as a cut flower
Grows 1-3 feet tall, with gray-green winged stems and alternate, narrow-lanceolate leaves
Inflorescences are at tips of stems on long flowering stalks
Ray flowers are blue, white or pink, (with blue the more common color) and edges of rays are deeply toothed
Bracts below inflorescence are triangular, with darker toothed margins and pointed tip
Prefers cooler conditions, fertile, well-drained soils, in full sun

(Posted January 19, 2019)