Hardiness zones
Sunset All (warm or cool
season annual depending on zone)
USDA All (warm or cool season annual depending on zone)
Landscape Use: Accent plant for flower borders
Form & Character: Upright, open, cool, informal, free
Growth Habit: Rapidly growing herbaceous annual branching to 2'to 3' in height.
Foliage/Texture: Leaves are
covered with small white hairs causing the plant to have a blue-gray appearance,
older leaves are lyrate-pinntified or narrowly oblanceolate, entire or broadly
serrate, young leaves a linear to linear lanceolate, highly pubescent, sessile;
medium texture.
Flowers & Fruits:
Multiple ray flowers to 1" in diameter.
Seasonal Color:
Plants bloom heavily during the cool season in Phoenix. Many flower colors are
available such as pink, light blue, medium blue,
blue-violet, white, and off white.
Temperature: Avoid high heat of western exposures.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Tolerant,
prefers organic amended soil that is well drained
Watering: Regular
water required
Pruning: Remove spent flowers
Propagation:
Seed; fresh seed germinate quickly in 7 to 25 days at 60o to 70oF
with no additional treatment.
Disease and pests: None
Additional comments:
Grows quickly and blooms heavily. A surprisingly easy plant to culture in flower
borders in Phoenix as a fall, winter or spring annual. many nomed cultivars including: 'Blue Boy' - grows to more than
two feet. 'Polka Dot Mix' comes with flowers of many colors.
Bachelor buttons is an outstanding performer for mixed flower borders whether your preference is for cutting or admiring. It is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds.
The nickname "cornflower" comes from the fact that the plant grows wild in the grain fields of southern Europe. It has naturalized throughout much of North America.
'Dwarf Midget' - produces
bushy plants that grow only to 1' height.
'Black Magic' - produces dark maroon flowers.
'Sweet Sultan Imperalis' produces long-stalked flowers that are perfect for cutting.
