Centaurea cyanus Cornflower

Centaurea cyanus
©Mike Watts/Plantlife

This plant has a pretty, bright blue flower on a slender greyish stem and was formerly a common weed of cornfields, particularly on light or sandy soils.

It has declined dramatically in the last 60 years; a recent (2005) audit has identified just over 100 sites that are thought to be 'natural'. Site records are confused by many recent introductions through 'wildflower seed' mixes, but these plants will not persist unless the margins are regularly cultivated.

It owes its decline to modern agricultural practices, such as use of herbicides, removal of field margins and development of highly productive crop varieties. These factors are an ever-present threat to its future.