Centaurea cyanus, commonly known as cornflower or bachelor's button, is an annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe. In the past it often grew as a weed in cornfields, hence its name.
Bachelor's Button Care
Centaurea cyanus
What is the plant
Bachelor’s Button grows between 1′ – 3′ feet tall with plants spreading as wide as 1′ to 2′ feet tall. Each plant needs at least 6″-12″ inches of space all around to grow well. Flowers may be white, pink, red, lavender, blue or purple. They bloom from late in the spring and throughout the summer. The slightly fragrant flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators, and the seeds attract birds. It flowers all summer. Centaurea cyanus is now endangered in its native habitat by agricultural intensification, particularly over-use of herbicides, destroying its habitat. It is also, however, through introduction as an ornamental plant in gardens and a seed contaminant in crop seeds, now naturalised in many other parts of the world, including North America and parts of Australia.
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Humidity
Normal
Lighting
Full Sun
Temperature
5°C - 5°C
Hardiness zone
2a - 12b
Difficulty
Medium
How to Care for the Plant
Water
If the winter or spring have been dry, cornflower plants may need supplement water beginning in spring. If it hasn't rained, keep an eye on the garden bed and water when cornflower starts looking slightly wilted. Apply the water to the soil at the base of the plants, allowing it to soak into the top 12 inches of the bed. If you've planted seedlings in spring, keep the soil moist for the first month until they get established.
Fertilizer
Start fertilizing cornflower seedlings in late winter or early spring when they are 6 inches tall. Continue with monthly fertilizer applications through the growing season. For a 10-square-foot garden bed, mix 1 tablespoon of balanced water-soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer with 2 1/2 gallons of water. Use the mixture to water the cornflowers.
Sunlight
These plants grow well in a full sun location.
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Soil
Centaurea plants do well in any moderately fertile, well-draining soil.
Temperature
As annuals, they can be grown in a variety of areas. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 60 to 80°F (15 to 26°C) with soil temperatures at least 55°F(12°C). Self-seeding, bachelor's buttons reappear annually.
Popularity
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