centaurea
cornflower, hardheads, knapweed, centaurea
Centaurea montana is a variable but attractive plant native to the mountain meadows and woodlands of continental Europe. It typically has grey-green, lance-shaped leaves and large, deep blue or violet flowers, borne in early summer. It grows best in a moisture-retentive soil in sun or partial shade.
It bears purple spidery flowerheads with a violet-purple centre. It’s perfect for growing in sunny borders and gravel gardens. It’s easy-to-grow, bearing clumps of mid-green leaves that perfectly complement its summer flowers.
For best results grow Centaurea montana in a sunny border in moist soi…
Classification
Common Names: cornflower, hardheads, knapweed, centaurea
Family: Cyanus
Variety: Montana, polka dot mixed
IMG_0442 (2).JPG: 2020-04-22 Blue cornflower in wild flower meadow |
20190514_195444.jpg: 2020-11-14 cornflower seedlings |
DSC00263.JPG: 2001-04-28 centaurea |
Propagation Notes
Plant Type: Perennial
Propagation: Seed
Hardiness: Hardy H5-H1 (<-10)
Flowering Season: Mid summer
Sow seeds from March to May outdoors for flowers from June to September, or sow during August and September to flower slightly earlier the following year. Sow seeds thinly in finely raked, moist soil where you want the plants to flower, at a depth of 13mm (½in) covering the seeds lightly with soil. Water the soil during dry periods.
2023-07-09: The centaurea did not make a show, although the few that made it into the garden is flowering
2023-03-25: Centaurea germinating
2023-03-05: sowing of cetaurea started to germinate after about 10 days
2023-03-05: Sow Centaurea. Classic magic. Seed from seedaholic from 2021
2023-02-25: Sow centaurea in pods.
2021-10-03: sown two different colours of cornflowers from Seedaholic: Classic Fantastic and Classic Magic (Centaurea Cyanus). Seed was sown in trays in Early september, and germinated very well. Planted out in small pots two weeks later and they are growing very rapidly in the greenhouse. Applying weekly feed. I am trying to pinch out the growing tips to see if I can force them to grow stronger base plants.
2021-08-27: Planting out the first seedlings of cornflower.
2021-04-01: Sow new seed packet of Polka dot Mixed corn flowers in trays
2020-04-22: The cornflowers are slowly appearing in the wild flow garden
20200523_093736.jpg: 2020-05-22 white cornflower in medow |
20200422_175850 (2).jpg: 2020-04-22 cornflower from wild flow bed |
20200518_181926 (2).jpg: 2020-05-18 Pink cornflower in meadow |
20190704_180720.jpg: 2020-11-14 Cornflower in bed |
20190623_151700.jpg: 2020-11-14 Dalk puple cornflower |
DSC00434.JPG: 2001-05-15 cornflower, hardheads, knapweed |
DSC00666.JPG: 2001-06-07 centaurea |
DSC00521.JPG: 2001-05-22 cornflower, hardheads, knapweed |
DSC00384.JPG: 2001-05-12 cornflower, hardheads, knapweed |