Centaurea cyanus or Cornflower is a weak stemmed and erect, annual daisy with intense blue flower heads and narrow leaves; though they can also appear in pink, lavender and white.
The round, open faced flower heads are about 3cms in diameter with a circle of ray florets surrounding a ring of disc florets.
Good as cut flowers and excellent as a mid border plant, this lovely annual has become endangered in the wild due to agricultural use of herbicides.
The cut flower trade has developed a few very attractive double cultivars though including Blue Boy and Blue Diadem.
It is an absolute must-have in mixed borders being one of the few flowers to deliver a conspicuous blue to border colour schemes. Totally delightful.