Centaurea cyanus 'Polka Dot Series'

cornflower

Eventual height & spread

Centaurea cyanus 'Polka Dot Series'

cornflower

  • approx 325 seeds
  • £1.87 £2.49
  • available to order from autumn
Delivery options
  • Seed Packets (only) £2.99
    • Position: full sun
    • Soil: moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
    • Rate of growth: average
    • Flowering: May to September
    • Hardiness: hardy annual


    A vibrant mix of annual cornflowers delivering a spectacular palette of colour from early summer into autumn. Shades range from classic cornflower blue to white, pink, purple, and red, and the lance-shaped grey-green leaves provide a lush backdrop for the showy blooms that attract pollinators. Sown in spring, Centaurea cyanus 'Polka Dot Series' are easy care flowers are ideal for cottage gardens, borders, and cutting.


    Cornflowers prefer poorer soils, so do not use fertiliser. Support taller stems if necessary and deadhead regularly to prolong flowering. In autumn cut the faded flower heads down to the ground and compost the dead stems. Seeds sown in autumn and over-wintered in a cold frame will produce plants that will flower earlier in the year than those sown in spring.


    Surface-sow seeds in trays filled with good quality compost, and germinate at 50-61°F (10°C-16°C). Pot on when they have put on their first true leaves and harden off before planting out after the frosts have passed. Alternatively, sow directly in late spring or early summer, and thin out to 30cm as they grow.


  • Sow: March to May or September to October