Bachelor Button
Plant your Bachelor Button from September through November and get a beautiful pop of color in your garden.
You can check out Bachelor Button seeds in the catalog
Common Name: Bachelor Button, Cornflower
Scientific Name: Centaurea cyanus
Seed Saving Level: Advanced
Planting
Plant in full sun to partial shade. Germinates in 7-25 days and can grow to 3 feet tall. If left in place in the garden after flowering, they will self-sow. Regular watering required.
Harvesting
Flowers bloom heavily in winter: February - April. Deadheading will help prolong the growing season. Bachelor buttons are an outstanding performer for mixed flower borders whether your preference is for cutting or admiring. They are attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds.
Seed Saving
Flowers are cross-pollinated by insects. Seed heads develop at the bottom of the spent flower and changes from green to light tan. As the seed head dries, it begins to open flat to release seeds. Harvest before this happens by cutting off the heads and hanging them up inside a bag to dry. The seeds will fall into the bag. Winnow seeds to remove remaining chafe.
Sources:
- Complete Guide to Saving Seeds (2011) by Robert Gough and Cherly Moore-Gough,
- Seedswap (2013) by Josie Jeffery
