Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), also called Bachelor’s Button, is a charming hardy annual herb producing vivid blue, pink, or white flowers. Traditionally grown in cottage gardens, it is beloved for its long-lasting cut flowers, pollinator-friendly blooms, and easy care. Cornflowers thrive in poor soils, making them perfect for wildflower meadows, borders, and container plantings.
Seed Information
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Type: Herb Seeds / Flower Seeds
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Common Name: Cornflower, Bachelor’s Button
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Genus: Centaurea
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Species: Centaurea cyanus
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Life Cycle: Annual
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Features: Vibrant blooms, pollinator friendly, long-lasting cut flowers, drought tolerant, easy to grow
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Season of Interest: Summer blooming
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Indoor/Outdoor: Outdoor (beds, borders, wildflower meadows, containers)
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Sunlight: Full sun
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Cultivating Difficulty: Easy
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Watering: Light to moderate, drought tolerant once established
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Climate: Temperate, Mediterranean, Humid Subtropical
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Growth Habit: Upright, 12–36 in tall
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Soil Type: Well-draining, tolerates poor soil
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Soil pH: 6.0–7.5
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Planting Time: Spring after frost or fall in mild climates
Grow Instructions
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When to Plant: Sow directly outdoors after last frost; in mild climates, fall sowing gives earlier blooms
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Soil: Well-draining, poor to average soils (does not require heavy fertility)
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Sunlight: Full sun (6+ hours daily)
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Watering: Water moderately; drought tolerant once mature
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Spacing: 6–12 inches apart
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Germination: 7–14 days at 60–70°F (15–21°C)
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Bloom Season: Early to mid-summer, continues with deadheading
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Tips: Deadhead to prolong blooming; allow some flowers to go to seed for natural reseeding