Centaurea cyanus
| Centaurea cyanus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Width: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Centaurea cyanus (common name: cornflower)
Propagation: Seed - sow March in the greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in May.
The seed can also be sown in situ during April, whilst in areas where the winters are not too cold a sowing in situ during September will produce larger and earlier-flowering plants
Cultivation: Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1][2]. Prefers a well-drained fertile soil and a sunny position[2]. Tolerates dry, low fertility and alkaline soils[2]. Established plants are drought tolerant[3].
A very ornamental plant[1], there are many named varieties[4]. The flowers are often used in dried-flower arrangements because they retain their colour well[5].
A good plant for bees, butterflies and moths[6][7][8]. The cornflower is considered to be a good companion, in small quantities, for cereal crops[9][6], though another report says that its greedy roots deprive the cultivated plants of nutrients and its tough stem dulls the reaper's sickle[10].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[11].
Range: Most of Europe, including Britain, to the Near East.
Habitat: Once a common weed of cornfields, as a result of modern agricultural practices it is now very rare in the wild[12][13]. Found especially on porous, nutrient-rich soils[14].
Edibility: The young shoots are edible[5].
Flowers - raw or cooked. The fresh florets can be used in salads[15]. They are used as a vegetable or a garnish[16].
An edible blue dye is obtained from the flowers, used for colouring sugar and confections[16].
Medicinal: Cornflower has a long history of herbal use, though it is seldom employed nowadays. In France it is still used as a remedy for tired eyes, but opinions differ as to its efficacy[17][14]. Traditionally it is said to work best on blue eyes, whilst Plantago major (great plantain) was used for brown eyes[14].
The dried flowers are antipruritic, antitussive, astringent, weakly diuretic, emmenagogue, ophthalmic, very mildly purgative, and tonic[10][5][12][18][3][19]. An infusion can be used in the treatment of dropsy, constipation, or as a mouthwash for ulcers and bleeding gums[12][15]. This infusion is also taken as a bitter tonic and stimulant, improving the digestion and possibly supporting the liver as well as improving resistance to infections[17]. A water distilled from the petals was formerly in repute as a remedy for weak eyes[10] and a soothing lotion for conjunctivitis[5][19].
The seeds are used as a mild laxative for children[5][17].
A decoction of the leaves is antirheumatic[5][17].
Usage: A blue ink and a dye is obtained from the petals mixed with alum-water[10][20][21][3]. The dye gives a lovely colour to linen, but it is transient[10].
The dried petals are used in pot-pourri in order to add colour[10][14].
Extracts of the plant are added to hair shampoos and rinses[15].
Pollinators: Bees, flies, lepidoptera, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Allardice, Pamela. A-Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers, 1993.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Riotte, Louise. Carrots Love Tomatoes. Garden Way, 1978.
- ↑ Carter, David. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan, 1982.
- ↑ International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association, 1981.
- ↑ Philbrick, Helen and Richard Gregg. Companion Plants. Watkins, 1979.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Stuart, Malcolm. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing, 1979.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Europe. Oxford University Press, 1969.
- ↑ Sowerby, John. The Useful Plants of Great Britain. 1862.