Cornflower Black Ball

Another beauty from the Cornflower family. Black Ball is actually more of a very deep, dark plum colour than black and is absolutely stunning when used as a cut flower. I love it teamed up with the bright orange of calendula for a real eye-catching display, but it's also wonderful in softer arrangements and sits very well amongst pinks, blues, and reds too.

Bees and other pollinators adore cornflowers; grow them, and your garden will be buzzing and humming all summer long. Keep deadheading or cutting bunches of flowers for friends to prolong the flowering season.

• Seed Quantity: 400 Seeds 
• Type: Annual
• Genus: Centaurea cyanus
• Sow Seeds: Sow in September for larger, stronger plants and/or in late April.  Can be sown in modules to transplant later or directly into the soil.  Pre-water the soil before sowing.  Sow thinly and cover only very lightly. Do not let the soil dry out.  Grow in poor, well-drained soil and in full sun, and it is advisable to grow through some netting as they are prone to flopping over in high winds without support.
• Plant Out: July–October  Keep cutting and deadheading to encourage more blooms
• Flowers: June-September
• Height & Spread: 60-90cm high x  30cm spread

RHS Plants for Pollinators

The RHS Plants for Pollinators mark is only given to plants that support pollinating insects.