Centaurea cyanus

cornflower

• Position: full sun
• Soil: well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: June to August
• Hardiness: hardy annual
  
  Piercing, bright blue flowers with ruffled petals and violet-blue centres appear from early to late summer among lance-shaped, mid-green leaves. Once a common sight in cornfields, this lovely annual is perfect for naturalising in a sunny wildflower meadow and is a magnet for butterflies and bees. The flower petals are edible and have a clove-like taste.
  
  
• Garden care: Wild flowers prefer poor soils, so do not apply fertiliser. Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering. In autumn, cut the faded flowerheads down to the ground and compost the dead stems.