Cornflower Classic Fantastic Seeds - Centaurea cyanus

Centaurea cyanus Classic Fantastic, also called cornflower or bachelor's button, is a mixture of blue, white and sometimes bicoloured, single or semi-double flowers. Like the adorable annual weed which once so widespread in our countrysides, even wandering as far as into our cereal fields, it paints a somewhat naive but unforgettable picture. Very decorative in large drifts, these cornflowers are perfect in wildflower bouquets and bloom for months on end if care is taken to remove the flowers as they wilt. They like full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.

Cornflowers of the 'Classic Fantastic' variety belong to the family Asteraceae. It is a selection of cultivars derived from Centaurea cyanus, an annual herbaceous plant native to Europe and North Asia that has long been considered an invasive weed in cereal crops and is one of the most beautiful wildflowers of our regions. It forms an upright clump with tender stems, reaching 65 cm high and 30 cm wide, bearing very narrow, long, greyish-green leaves. The flowering period lasts from June to August, displaying inflorescences in the form of semi-double or single flower heads, 3 cm across. The ligulate flowers (or the petals surrounding the centre) are toothed at their tips and come in a blend of colours ranging from pure white to ultramarine blue, including a deep and very luminous azure blue. Some flowers are bicoloured, displaying both shades of white and blue. The centre of the inflorescence is made up of purplish florets. The flowers are very melliferous and nectar-rich.

Cornflowers are enchanting in flowerbeds where they form remarkable patches of colour. The mixture 'Classic Fantastic', delicious descendants of the most famous of them all, bring the charm of the countryside to our gardens. Sow cornflower in wild-looking beds, combined with ornamental grasses such as Stipa tenuifolia or Muhlenbeckia capillaris, catnips, with pink love-in-a-mist, California poppies and purple cornflowers. The edible flowers can be used to decorate summer salads. It is also an excellent cut flower.