In ancient writings there are references to the healing properties of this plant, which has magical powers. Used it in the ancient ceremonies of cultivation and to remove damage.
This wonderful wild flower is called a cornflower. He is chanted in many old and modern songs. Often you can hear the words in them: "Cornflower … my favorite flower, cornflower …"
general information
Many gardeners appreciate wildflowers and plant them in their plots without problems, decorating them with their territory. Among them are cornflowers, which have many species bred by breeders. Today there are more than 500 of them.
Cornflower has several popular names - commotion, blavat, bobylnik, hairworm and others. Since ancient times, this flower was described in various folk tales and legends. It was also used as an epithet in poems and epics. And in fact, this plant deserves special attention and respect.
About the origin of the plant
Cornflower flowers came to Russia with rye, so since then they have been its constant companion. It is no accident that these plants are the key to fertility and an important attribute of holidays dedicated to the end of the harvest.
Blue flower existed in ancient times. As you know, in Egypt during the excavation of the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun (ruler in the XIII century BC), a lot of gold and precious stones were discovered. But really shocked archaeologists found in the sarcophagus a small wreath made of blue cornflowers. Surprisingly, dried flowers retained their shape and color!
Centaure - the name is a generic cornflower, associated with the legend of Chiron (centaur). During the fight with Hercules, he suffered rather deep wounds that were healed by cornflower juice. And today, infusions of cornflower flowers are used for wound healing in modern folk medicine. They are also used in the treatment of many other diseases.
Places of growth
These flowers are found in the territories of Europe, Asia and America. They grow in the fields of Russia, in the mountains of Transcaucasia.
Although cornflower is almost unpretentious, it prefers moist soil to a greater extent. Quite often it can be found on potato plantations, as well as in the fields, among ears of rye and wheat.
Description
Cornflower flower belongs to the Asteraceae family. Many believe that this plant has exclusively blue flowers. Modern breeders have bred dozens of varieties with a wide variety of shades of inflorescences - even red ones. The flower is annual and perennial. Its stem reaches a height of up to 80 cm. The leaves are narrow, semi-double or double, inflorescences up to 5 cm in diameter.
The stalk is powerful and rough, the root root, lanceolate leaves elongated, bright flowers are collected in large single baskets. One branch may contain several buds. The color of the petals varies from bright blue to purple. After flowering, which lasts almost all summer, achenes are formed. In fact, a cornflower is a weed plant, but now it is often planted in personal plots as an ornament of flower beds.
Varieties
The well-known cornflower is a plant that does not need special care and has a lot of useful qualities. In fact, the wildflower cornflower is a weed, and it is destroyed in rye fields.
There are species with flowers of pink, white, purple, yellow and reddish hues, but the most common among them is centaure cyanus - a plant with blue petals. Plant colors depend on the place of growth. For example, white cornflower is found in Europe, but very rarely, therefore it is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.
Below are the most common varieties of cornflower.
Meadow cornflower
This species belongs to the group of Asteraceae. It is a herbaceous perennial reaching a height of up to 1.2 meters. The stem is erect, rough. The shape of the leaves can be different: ovoid, lanceolate, elliptical. It blooms with lilac, pink and white inflorescences.
Flowering lasts almost all summer, until the deepest autumn. It grows on roadsides, in glades, in bushes, in the steppes, forests and forest-steppes. This variety is used only in traditional medicine to obtain effective medicines. Decoctions and infusions from it are an excellent choleretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic.
Terry cornflower
If you compare terry varieties with field cornflowers, then growing them from seeds is almost no different from all other varieties. Terry varieties have a fairly robust flower basket that holds the peduncle and protects it from rain and wind. All flowers are tight to each other, this ensures the terry of this variety. But on one branch there can be a terry cornflower, and an ordinary flower.
An ordinary field cornflower can reach a height of one meter, and cultivated varieties, including terry varieties, have a lower growth. This fact should be taken into account when designing flower beds.
Cornflower blue
These are the most famous flowers in the family. Cornflower blue grows beautifully in the Russian strip. These are mainly spacious sunny meadows. Breeders used this particular variety to breed other varieties with a variety of flower colors: blue, pink, purple, snow-white.
This is an annual plant with narrow leaves and a wide stem (height up to 80 cm). Inflorescences are semi-double and double (diameter - 4-5 cm). There are perennial blue cornflowers with large leaves and large inflorescences. The duration of flowering is from June to September.
Tall varieties are good for cutting, and lower ones can be a wonderful decoration for flower beds and rabatka. Propagated by seeds planted in the ground in April-May or before winter.
White cornflower
This flower is found in nature only in the highlands of the Caucasus and Northern Iran. When grown in culture, it can form a powerful bush up to 55 cm high. Its highly dissected leaves are located in the lower part of long petioles. The outer side of the leaves has a dark green hue, and the bottom is painted white. The diameter of the flower is about 4 cm.
From other varieties, the plant differs in single inflorescences. There is a variety with large white flowers bordered on the edges with a pink tint. It blooms in July-September.
Application
From the flowers of the blue cornflower, a dye blue is produced that is harmless to health. It is used in perfumery and in the food industry. Thanks to the very persistent color of the flower, which practically does not change in the sun, cornflower flowers were used in antiquity - wool fabrics were dyed, and blue ink was also made from them.
Dried cornflowers are also used in modern medicine today. They help reduce cough, improve digestion. Means from cornflowers fight colds and viral diseases. Skin diseases, blindness, gout, jaundice and others are cured by decoctions and infusions of cornflowers.
