Cornflower/Bachelor's Button

Description:

A drought tolerant annual, native to Europe, which has naturalized throughout North America. The upper half of the plant is multi-stemmed, producing many flowers. Leaves are covered with small white hairs causing the plant to have a blue-gray appearance. The original flower color is blue, but it is now available in white, pink and red.

Habitat:

Garden in wildlife habitat yard.

Notes:

Introduction Cornflower is a common wildflower that has been cultivated as a garden flower for centuries. Originally a native of the Near East, cornflower now grows wild over much of Europe and the temperate regions of North America. The cornflower gets its formal name from a minor goddess, Cyanus, and its genus name from a mythical Centaur (from the Greek Centaurea), whose name was Chiron. Chiron was a renowned herbalist in Greek mythology, and is credited with teaching mankind about the healing power of herbs. In many areas of the U.S., cornflowers are considered invasive weeds, despite the fact that they are also sought after garden flowers. They are annuals and biennials that often self sow and reseed themselves, making them difficult to eradicate. They got the name Bachelor's buttons in Victorian England because young women would wear them as a sign of availability.