Summer Festival Keel Chrysanthemum - Chrysanthemum carinatum seeds

The Centaurea cyanus Classic Fantastic, also known as Cornflower or Bluebeard, is a mix of blue and white flowers, sometimes bicolored, single or semi-double. Resembling this adorable annual weed that was once so widespread in our countryside, wandering into cereal fields, they create a somewhat naive but unforgettable picture. Very decorative in large clumps in flower beds, these flowers are perfect in wild bouquets, and the plants bloom for months if you take care to remove faded flowers. They appreciate full sun, fertile and well-drained soil.

The cornflowers in the Classic Fantastic mix belong to the Asteraceae family. It is a selection of cultivars derived from Centaurea cyanus, an annual herbaceous plant native to Europe and northern Asia, long considered an invasive adventive in cereal crops, but one of the most beautiful wild flowers in our regions. It forms an upright clump with weak stems, 65 cm (25.6 in) tall and 30 cm (11.8 in) wide, bearing very narrow and long grayish-green leaves. It flowers from June to August, displaying single or semi-double inflorescences, 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. The Ligules (or petals of the crown) have toothed tips, ranging from pure white to deep and bright azure blue. Some flowers are bicolored, both white and blue. The center of the inflorescence is composed of violet florets. This flowering is highly attractive to bees and nectar-feeding insects.

Centaureas enchant flower beds and borders, where they create remarkable spots of color. The 'Classic Fantastic' mix, delightful descendants of the most famous among them, brings the charm of the countryside to our gardens. Sow it in slightly wild flower beds; it will be sublime alongside ornamental grasses like Stipa tenuifolia or Mulhenbergia capillaris, catmints, with pink Damask Nigellas, California poppies, and purple centaureas. The edible flowers can be used to decorate summer salads. It is also an excellent cut flower.