Cornflower

Description

The cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) is one of the UK’s most iconic native wildflowers. Cornflowers are instantly recognisable by their vivid blue blooms. Once common in arable crops, it declined quickly due to modern agricultural practices. Today, it is most often found in deliberately seeded areas, wildflower meadows, wildlife gardens, roadside verges, and waste ground.

Flowering from June to August, cornflowers provide a valuable nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. Now widely grown in cottage gardens and planting schemes, this annual flower plays an important role in supporting biodiversity. Due to the scarcity, the cornflower is listed as a “Priority Species” under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework.

How to Identify

Cornflowers grow on tall, slender stems up to 80cm high with narrow, grey-green leaves. Their bold, bright blue flowers are made up of many tiny florets, with star-shaped petals around a darker central cluster.
The intense colour and upright habit make Centaurea cyanus easy to spot in summer meadows and borders, where it often grows alongside other traditional cornfield wildflowers.

How to Grow

Cornflowers are easy to grow and thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Cornflower seeds are best planted in poorer ground and perform best without added fertiliser.

Sow cornflower seeds directly outdoors in spring or autumn. Plants establish quickly and will often self-seed, creating natural drifts year after year.

Ideal for wildflower meadows, wildlife gardens, and flower borders, cornflowers are a simple and rewarding way to add vibrant colour while helping pollinating insects.