Bachelor Button

Bachelor Button is a brilliant blue ,annual wildflower introduced from Europe that can grow at a wide range of altitudes.  It  has naturalized across the United States and is also known as cornflower because it can be a common weed in cornfields.  In fact, it is considered noxious and invasive in some areas, and it is prohibited in North Carolina.  However, here in the arid and semi-arid West, it is a hardy garden flower whose 1- to 3-foot stems make it great for cut flower arrangements.  Although it is an annual, it readily self-seeds to the point that it appears to be perennial.  It blooms in mid-summer, and bloom time can be greatly extended by dead-heading.  It is attractive to a wide range of pollinators including bats, birds, butterflies, honey bees, and native bees.  Seeds should be planted just under the soil surface and germination occurs in 7 to 14 days.

Some fun facts about Bachelor Button:  Reportedly, a wreath made from its blooms was found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen.    It is an edible flower with a sweet and spicy taste that can be used in salads.