The wild cornflower was once a frequent visitor to cultivated and arable land all over Europe, but through the use of pesticides and seed cleaning its populations have diminished drastically, and in its wild form it is among the endangered species in many countries. In agriculture, it is still regarded as a field weed, since it shares cultivation areas with cereals and oilseed rape.
The flowers and buds of the cornflower are edible and can be used in salads or cooked. Particularly interesting is their content of anthocyanins, a blue dye group, which owes its name to the flower itself (Centaurea cyanus). This makes it possible to obtain blue food coloring from the flowers, which can be used to color sweets and pastries. The color obtained is also suitable as colorant for fabric, but it is not washable.
As a medicinal plant it is not very important, although its wild form - in contrast to the ornamental varieties - contains some active constituents. Historically, it has been used for the treatment and prevention of ocular disorders and was regarded as a magic medicinal plant.
The flower had special symbolic significance both in ancient Rome, where it was assigned to the harvest goddess as a hair ornament. In addition, it has been used by various political parties as identification marks, including the illegal German national movement in pre-fascist Austria, but also as a party symbol of the liberal party of Sweden and the national flower of Estonia.
Centaurea cyanus seeds, content: approx. 200 cornflower seeds
Undemanding annual plant that grows up to one meter high. Direct sowing from April or already in autumn, planting distance about 30cm. Do not cover seeds with soil completely, they need light to germinate. The plant grows very well on nutrient-rich, permeable soils with lime content in a sunny location, but is also satisfied with half shade. Water very little and do not fertilize. It does not take waterlogging well at all.
When the flowers are harvested in time, the cornflower will bloom more than once within a year.
Other names
| Botanical name: |
Centaurea cyanus, Cyanus segetum, C. arvensis, C. vulgaris |
| German names: |
Kornblume, Zyane |
| French names: |
Centaurée Bleuet |
| English names: |
Cornflower, Bachelor's Button, Boutonniere Flower, Hurtsickle, Bluebottle, Cyani |
| Spanish names: |
Aciano, Flor Celeste |
| Italian names: |
Fiordaliso |
