The author of the text is Dr. Katarzyna Wróblewska
Several dozen or so years ago, sapphire baskets cornflower Centaurea cyanus were a permanent element of the rural landscape.This very sympathetic weed of cereal crops was also a frequent motif used in folk art.This species was known in Europe in antiquity. From Europe, it traveled to various parts of the world - whether it was dragged with grain or as an ornamental plant.
The cornflower is an annual plant, most often found in dry to moderately moist, rather poor soils.It blooms best in sunny places. Its slender shoots are ended with baskets made of tubular flowers, the middle of which are inconspicuous, gray-brown.The beauty of the cornflower is determined by its characteristic edge flowers - strongly developed, sapphire-blue.Inflorescences develop from June to August. Cornflower is propagated by sowing seeds permanently in spring or autumn.
Bławatek is used mainly in flower beds, often in rural or naturalized areas (e.g. in flower meadows). It can also be grown before biennials or perennials planted in autumn.As ornamental plants, cultivars with full baskets are most often grown, among which individuals with a typical, intensely blue color of flowers are rarely found - most often they are white and pink in various shades.
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These beautiful meadow plants will also be perfect for rural rebates (Photo: Fotolia.com) |
Among over 500 "relatives" of the cornflower of the same genus, there are species with different colors of inflorescences, including yellow ones (eg in large-headed or musky cornflower). They include both annuals and perennials.
The gardens also feature the one-year-old American cornflower C. americana and musky C. moschata. The first is a magnificent plant, growing up to 120 cm tall, which attracts attention with large white, pink or purple full baskets.Blooms in late summer and autumn, from August to October.Erect shoots are perfect for rows and as a background for other plants. The musk cornflower is lower, it grows up to 80 cm in height. Its baskets can be of various colors - from white, through yellow, pink, to red and carmine.
Perennial cornflower species have similar soil requirements - they like lighter soils, not very rich, acid-free (even limestone) and sunny positions. In more fertile soils and in shady places, they are bulky and bloom less. Depending on the species, they can be used in various ways. C. montana, the most common cornflower in gardens, forms dense, highly branched clumps 40-60 cm high. The baskets of the species are bluish-purple, appear in May and June.This species is suitable for rock gardens, but is also planted in flower beds.Can be used in naturalistic plantings. Later flowering species (June, July) are used in a similar way: the beautiful cornflower C. pulcherrima with pink inflorescences and the whitish C. dealbata with pink and white baskets.
For naturalistic plantings and rural gardens, tall species of cornflowers are suitable, such as the purple cornflower, C. purpurea, growing up to 1.5 m in height, with intensely colored inflorescences or the slightly shorter Russian cornflower with yellow baskets (reaching 1.2 m in height.). Both species bloom in June and July.Even later, until August, the large-headed cornflower blooms in C. macrocephala, which looks as good in a group bed as it is as a specimen plant.Its yellow, bulbous inflorescences can be dried off.
