Centaurea cyanus Pinkie - Cornflower seeds

Centaurea cyanus 'Pinkie' is a variety of cornflower that stands out with its very double pink flowers, absolutely charming in the garden and for cutting. It is an annual plant, just like its ancestor the Cornflower or Field cornflower. Its charming flowers resemble pink pompoms and they bloom throughout the summer if you take care to regularly prune the faded ones. It is an ideal plant to liven up borders and floral arrangements, in a rustic or romantic composition.

The annual cornflowers of the 'Pinkie' variety belong to the Asteraceae family. Their ancestor, Centaurea cyanus, is a herbaceous annual plant native to Europe and northern Asia, long considered a weed in cereal crops. It is also one of the most beautiful wild flowers. Each plant forms an upright clump of weak, 70 cm (28in) tall stems, bearing very narrow and long, greyish-green leaves. It blooms from June to September, earlier or later depending on the sowing date. The flower heads are double, 2-3 cm (1in) in diameter. The ligules (or petals of the crown) are toothed at their tips. The centre of the inflorescence is composed of shorter florets. Clearly pink when they open, the heads fade slightly over time. The fruit is an achene that contains seeds that easily self-sow in light soil. Plants obtained from self-sowing may not be identical to the parent.

Annual cornflowers create remarkable spots of colour in borders and flower beds. Centaurea cyanus 'Pinkie' brings the charm of the countryside and the romantic charm of its pink flowering to our gardens. It will be beautiful sown in slightly wild borders, alongside medium-sized grasses such as Stipa tenuifolia or Mulhenbergia capillaris. Also grow it with poppies, Love-in-a-mist, large daisies, thistles (Eryngium, Echinops), or chamomiles. The edible flowers can be used to decorate summer salads. It is also an excellent cut flower.