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MAGHS Official Flower
by Tina Forrester
Cornflower, bachelor button, bluebottle, blue bonnet - no matter what you call our society's official flower, its botanical name is always Centaurea cyanus, named after the Centaur Chiron who is said to have used the juice of this flower to help heal battle wounds.
One of its common names, cornflower, refers to its habit of growing alongside European corn (wheat) fields. In fact, the cornflower is the national flow of Estonia where it's associated with wealth because it tends to grow in the richest fields of grain.
Centaurea cyanus earns another common name, bachelor (or bachelor's) button, because the blossom lasts a long time placed in the buttonhole of a man's shirt. In fact, it was once a European custom for young men to wear them when courting.
Cornflowers are native to Europe. Often blue, they also come in pink, white and 'chocolate' (purple really). The blue variety is such a stunning shade (like the sky on a sunny day) that artists once pulverized them to make watercolour paint. And because Centaurea cyanus blossoms are edible, bakers sometimes used them to colour pastries. Even today, Russians use them to tint vodka, and gourmets use them to garnish salads or entrees.
But most of us grow cornflowers to perk up an informal or country garden. They look great inter-planted with poppies, coreopsis, zinnias or snapdragons, or in a border with daylilies. Sometimes as the season progresses (especially in a wet or very hot summer) the foliage becomes ragged, so they are best planted in places where the leaves and flowers of other plants hide their lower parts.
Cenaurea cyanus make good cut flowers as they last four or five days in water. But they are outstanding as dried flowers. Believe it or not, a garland of cornflowers was found in Tutankhamun's tomb. After all the years they'd held their shape and colour!
Cornflowers are easy to dry. Simply pick them in late morning after the dew has evaporated, choosing blossoms that are newly open (older blooms may shatter when dry). Tie them in bunches of six or seven stems and hang them upside down in a dark, airy place. They are ready for crafting in two or three weeks and look wonderful in dried arrangements along with Nigella (love-in-a-mist), strawflowers, lavender and everlastings.
(2011-10-13) |
