Description:
Annual growing to 1m by 0.3m.
It is an annual plant growing to 40-90 cm tall, with grey-green
branched stems. The leaves are lanceolate, 1-4 cm long. The
flowers are most commonly an intense blue colour, produced
in flowerheads (capitula) 1.5-3 cm diameter, with a ring of
a few large, spreading ray florets surrounding a central cluster
of disc florets. The blue pigment is protocyanin, which in
roses is red.
Distribution and habitat:
Cultivated Beds.
Cornflower is found in Most of Europe, including Britain, to
the Near East. Now it is naturalised in many other parts of the
world, including North America and parts of Australia.
Hystory:
The Latin name,
Cyanus, was given the Cornflower
after a youthful devotee of the goddess Flora (Cyanus), whose
favourite flower it was, and the name of the genus is derived
from the Centaur, Chiron, who taught mankind the healing virtue
of herbs.
The Blue Cornflower has been the national flower of Estonia
since 1968 and symbolizes daily bread to Estonians. It is also
the symbol of the Estonian political party, Rahvaliit, and
the Swedish political party, Folkpartiet. The Cornflower is
also often seen as an inspiration for the romantic symbol of
the Blue Flower.
The Blue Cornflower was the favourite flower of Kaiser Wilhelm
I. Because of its ties to royalty, authors such as Theodor
Fontane have used it, often sarcastically, to comment the
social and political climate of the time.
In Austria it is a political symbol for pan-German and
rightist ideas. The Members of the Freedom Party wore it
at 2005´s Parliament Opening.
Parts used:
The flowers.
Constituens:
Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Flowers.
Edible Uses: Colouring.
The young shoots are edible. Flowers - raw or cooked. The fresh
florets can be used in salads. They are used as a vegetable
or a garnish. An edible blue dye is
obtained from the flowers, used for colouring sugar and confections.
Medicinal Uses:
Ophthalmic;
Purgative;
Tonic.
Cornflower has a long history of herbal use, though it is seldom
employed nowadays. In France it is still used as a remedy
for tired eyes, but opinions differ as to its efficacy. Traditionally
it is said to work best on blue eyes, whilst Plantago major
(great plantain) was used for brown eyes. The dried flowers
are
antipruritic,
antitussive,
astringent,
weakly
diuretic,
emmenagogue,
ophthalmic,
very mildly
purgative,
and
tonic.
An infusion can be used in the treatment of dropsy, constipation,
or as a mouthwash for ulcers and bleeding gums. This infusion
is also taken as a Bitter tonic and stimulant,
improving the digestion and possibly supporting the liver
as well as improving resistance to infections. A water distilled
from the petals was formerly in repute as a remedy for weak
eyes and a soothing lotion for conjunctivitis. The seeds
are used as a mild
laxative for
children. A decoction of the leaves is
antirheumatic.
Others Uses:
Dye;
Hair;
Ink; Pot-pourri.
A blue ink and a dye is
obtained from the petals mixed with alum-water. The dye gives
a lovely colour to linen, but it is transient. The dried petals
are used in pot-pourri in order to add colour. Extracts of
the plant are added to hair shampoos
and rinses.
Safety:
None known.
