Cornflower

Plant family

Daisy family (Asteraceae)

Also known as

Bachelor's Button

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Dry

Soil

Light (sandy)

Nutrient requirement

Medium

Light germinator

Seeding distance

20 cm

Row spacing

20 cm

Seeding depth

0.5 cm

Instructions

Description

Cornflower with its blue flowers is a beautiful splash of color in the vegetable garden. Botanically, it belongs to the composite family. With its bright blue flowers, it attracts many pollinators such as bees and hoverflies, as its nectar has a very high sugar content. Its flowering period extends from May to October. The flowers are edible and are suitable as a garnish for salads. They are also said to have healing properties for acne, headaches, fever and cough.

Growing tips

Cornflower grows well in sunny locations with humus-rich, loose soil. It is best to sow them directly in the field from March to April. You can also grow them indoors, but this is not necessary. Since it is a light seedling, you should cover the seeds only very lightly with soil. About two weeks after sowing, you should see the first seedlings. In order to leave enough space for each individual plant, you should make sure that there is a distance of 20-30 cm between the individual plants. Fertilization is not necessary. You only need to water the cornflower after a long drought, because it has a rather low water requirement. After the flowering phase the plant dies.