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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

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Posted 19 January 2019