description
Cornflower is an annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, growing to
16-35 inches tall, with grey-green branched stems. The leaves are
lanceolate, 1–4 cm long. The flowers are most commonly an intense blue
color, produced in flowerheads (capitula) 1.5–3 cm diameter, with a ring of
a few large, spreading ray florets surrounding a central cluster of disc
florets. The blue pigment is protocyanin, which in roses is red. It flowers
from June until August.
common names & nomenclature
The plant is called cornflower because it naturally occurs near field crops,
namely corn. The plant is also known as Bachelor's Button and Boutonniere
Flower because young men once wore the flower in the label of their jacket
to draw attention to their eligibility status. Its Latin name, Cyanus, comes
from mythology for a youthful devotee of the goddess Flora (Cyanus), whose
favorite flower it was. The name of the genus is derived from the Centaur,
Chiron, who taught humankind the healing virtue of herbs
Also known as:
basket flower, cornflower, bachelor's button, bluebottle, boutonniere flower, hurtsickle, cyani flower