How to grow Bachelor Button?
- Latin Family: Asteraceae
- Latin Genus: Centaurea
- Ease of Growing: Easy
- Growing Type: Annual
Also known as Cornflower, this attractive old-fashioned wildflower blooms in shades of blue, carmine, pink, and white. The easy-to-grow frilly flowers sit atop multi-branching stems. They make perfect cut flowers that freely self-sow. The blooms attract butterflies and beneficial insects. Juice can be extracted from the flowers to create a blue dye used for food coloring and other applications. Flowers are edible and add vibrance to salads. Plants usually grow to about 3' tall but some dwarf varieties only grow to about 18" or so.
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Bachelor Button History
Bachelor Button is native to Europe and has naturalized in North America. It got the nickname "Cornflower" since it grows wild in the cornfields of Southern Europe. In France the plant was often used as an eyewash for weak eyes by distilling water from the petals.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 5.5 - 8.0
- PH Ideal (min/max): 6.5 - 7.5
Bachelor Buttons are adaptable to various soil types but prefer soil that is well-drained and moderately fertile.
How to care for Bachelor Button?
These plants are pretty independent and will easily naturalize in your garden. If you are growing for flower arrangements you may want to give the plants some support so that the stems are as straight as possible. This can easily be achieved by tying the stems gently to a stick or pole. During prolonged periods of drought and hot weather the plants may need to be watered.
Water
Bachelor Buttons are fairly drought tolerant but do benefit from the occasional watering, especially during periods or drought and hot weather.
Fertilizer
Plants will remain more compact in less fertile soil but will grow in moderately rich soil as well.
Seeds
Seed Viability: 7 - 10 years
Bachelor Button self sows readily but if you want to save seeds, cut down plants once most have stopped blooming and dry the seed heads on screens. Shake the heads in a paper bag to release seeds. Birds love the seeds so in some areas you may need to cover plants with bird-proof netting. Make sure to harvest plants before the seeds fall to the ground. Seeds are easily stored in envelopes.
Light
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Bachelor Buttons grow best in full sun or very light shade.
Conditions:Cool, Warm
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Storage
The flowers can be dried for arrangements but they must be dried immediately after picking.
Storage Req: Drying
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: days
Makes a great cut flower. Store in a vase of water with a little bit of sugar to keep flowers looking fresh.
Storage Req:
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: 5-14 days
Problems
Bachelor Button Types
- Bachelor Button
Also known as Cornflower, this attractive old-fashioned wildflower blooms in shades of blue, carmine, pink, and white. The easy-to-grow frilly flowers sit atop multi-branching stems. They make perfect cut flowers that freely self-sow. The blooms attract butterflies and beneficial insects. Juice can be extracted from the flowers to create a blue dye used for food coloring and other applications. Flowers are edible and add vibrance to salads. Plants usually grow to about 3' tall but some dwarf varieties only grow to about 18" or so.
Pests
- Aphids
- Cutworms
- Slugs and snails
- Gophers
Diseases
- Aster Yellows
- Bacterial Wilt
- Rust
- Downy Mildew
- Bacterial Stem Rot, Bacterial Root Rot, Bacterial Soft Rot
- Powdery Mildew
- Root Rot
