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Bluebottle Cornflower Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae

Bluebottle Cornflower

Centaurea cyanus

Fidelity and devotion.

Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Centaurea
Native to
Europe, Near East
Bloom season
Summer
Type
annual herb
Height
1-3 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
Well-drained, average to poor
Water
low
Hardiness
2-11
Lifespan
annual

Did you know

  • Cornflower blue is a recognized color name inspired by this flower's distinctive vivid blue hue.
  • Cornflower seeds were found in Tutankhamun's tomb, dating the flower's cultural significance back 3,000 years.
  • The genus Centaurea is named after the centaur Chiron, who in Greek myth used it to heal a wound.
  • Young bachelor men wore cornflowers in their lapels to signal they were in love, earning the name 'bachelor's button'.
  • The flower petals produce a blue ink that was once used as a watercolor paint and for dyeing fabrics.

Color meanings

0

loyalty

1

remembrance

Uses

  • wildflower meadows
  • edible flowers
  • companion planting