Blue cornflower botanical description. Cornflowers (flowers): description, beneficial properties. Types and varieties

The Cornflower flower belongs to the genus of herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae family, or this family is also called Asteraceae. The flower has a straight stem that can reach over a meter in height. The flowers are collected in baskets and can be of different colors: white, yellow, blue, pink, blue, purple, red or burgundy. The plant can be annual, biennial or perennial. Flowers begin to bloom in June and can delight with their beauty until late autumn.

Cornflower can be found almost throughout Europe and throughout Russia. The most famous species is Blue Cornflower, which is found in fields, in winter crops, and in vacant lots. The plant reproduces by seeds.

The plant itself is unpretentious, drought-resistant and frost-resistant. Loves the sun very much. It can grow in one place for up to 10 years and still maintain lush flowering. Practically not susceptible to disease. Due to its unpretentiousness and beautiful flowering, it is very common among gardeners.

Application of Cornflower:

The cornflower flower is used in cooking. Its leaves have a delicate aroma and are often used as a seasoning for dishes.

Medicine has not been spared cornflowers either. This flower has diuretic properties. Therefore, cornflower decoctions are used for kidney diseases, edema, etc. Cornflower decoctions also have choleretic properties. It is also used for liver diseases, including jaundice. Cornflower also has antipyretic, diaphoretic and bactericidal properties.

The flower is often used in cosmetics. Cornflower is also in demand as a decorative flower. Cornflower is also mentioned as a dye for Easter eggs. But in our time, when food dyes are available, it is unlikely that people will run into the field for cornflowers.

Flower Cornflower video

Cornflower varieties:

Blue cornflower is the most famous variety. It is distinguished by a very beautiful turquoise color of the flowers; the length of the flower stem can reach a height of 80 cm. A one- or two-year-old plant. You can meet them in fields, wastelands, meadows.

Mountain cornflower

Mountain cornflower is a perennial plant. Can grow on any soil. A very unpretentious plant - can survive in difficult conditions. Flowers can be blue, purple, burgundy. It can reach a height of up to 1 meter.

White cornflower

White cornflower is a rare variety of flower that is listed in the Red Book. It is distinguished by white flowers and double petals. At the same time, the growth of the flower is quite small - up to 30 cm in height.

Large-headed cornflower is a perennial plant. It is distinguished by its large size. The height of the flower can reach more than 1 meter. The flowers also differ in their size - they can be up to 7 cm in diameter. The color of the flowers is light or bright yellow.

Meadow cornflower is a perennial plant, the size of which can reach up to 80 cm in height. The color of the flowers is lilac, pink, less often white. The plant is covered with a cobwebby cover. Flowers are collected in baskets.

Yellow cornflower is a perennial plant whose size can reach up to 1 meter in height. The color of the flowers is bright yellow and the cornflower flower is approximately 5 cm in diameter. The stem is thick and straight.

Eastern cornflower

Eastern cornflower is a large perennial plant that can reach 120 cm in height. The flowers are quite large, collected in baskets.

White cornflower is one of the most beautiful types of cornflower. It can reach a height of up to 60 cm. The lower leaves can be white and the upper ones green. The cornflower flower itself is also beautiful. The color of the flowers is bright pink.

Pink cornflower is a perennial plant up to 1 meter in height. The inflorescences are large and single pink. The flower stems are strong and swollen under the inflorescences.

Spreading cornflower is a biennial plant up to 50 cm in height. The flowers are white or pink, collected in baskets. The plant itself is very spreading.

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The weedy herbaceous plant blue cornflower is a member of the Asteraceae family and has medicinal properties. It can almost always be found in fields sown with rye, wheat, flax, potatoes and other crops, on roadsides, and along forest belts. In addition to spontaneous spread, cornflowers are also grown specifically for decorative purposes and the manufacture of medicines.

The main plant material used in folk medicine is blue cornflower flowers. They are not very large in size, colored blue or light blue, appear in late spring and persist until the end of autumn. For some diseases, the seeds of the plant, which ripen by the end of summer, are also used for medicinal purposes.

Botanical description

The flowers of blue cornflower, according to the description of the botanical characteristics of the plant, are collected in single baskets, the diameter of which does not exceed 3 cm. They have a common involucre formed by membranous brown leaves with a tiled arrangement. Small flowers in a basket are divided into two types: marginal and internal. The flowers located at the edges of the peduncle are blue, funnel-shaped and asexual. The inner flowers are painted in a bright and rich blue-violet color, have a tubular shape and are bisexual.

The fruits of blue cornflower are an ash-colored or gray-yellow achene with an obovate shape. It has a smooth shiny surface. At one end there is a red tuft of hard bristly hairs, the length of which is slightly less than the length of the fruit itself (2.5 - 4 mm).

The stem is erect and branched and can reach 1 m, but usually its height is no more than 80 cm. The arrangement of leaves on the stem is sequential. They have a narrow and elongated shape, solid at the top of the stem and lobed at the bottom. The stem and leaves are covered with fine cobwebby hairs. The plant has a very developed root system, represented by a thin taproot.

Healing properties of the plant

Folk recipes based on blue cornflower are effective in the treatment of many diseases, which is due to the wide range of pharmacological activity of the compounds found in its composition. Among them:

• glycosides (anthocyanins);
• tannins;
• flavonoids;
• vitamins (ascorbic acid, beta-carotene);
• essential oils;
• minerals (potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, calcium);
• alkaloids;
• organic acids, etc.

Important: The quantitative composition of certain compounds in a plant that have a biological effect may differ depending on the place where it grows.

Folk remedies from blue cornflower have medicinal properties and have the following effects on the body:

• antipyretic and anti-inflammatory;
• pain reliever;
• relaxing and antispasmodic;
• diaphoretic and diuretic;
• wound healing and regenerating;
• antioxidant;
• choleretic;
• antimicrobial.

Blue cornflower as a medicinal plant is taken as part of the complex treatment of colds, diseases of the urinary system (cystitis, nephritis, urethritis, urolithiasis), to relieve edema resulting from disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system or kidneys. Taking it helps cleanse the body of harmful and toxic substances, remove excess fluid and burn fat.

The choleretic effect of cornflower flowers improves digestion processes and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. They are used for diseases of the biliary tract, liver, jaundice, helminthic infestations, as well as to improve appetite as part of herbal preparations or on their own.

Remedies from the flowers and seeds of the plant are used externally for diseases of the skin, joints and eyes (blepharitis, conjunctivitis, fatigue, impaired twilight vision).

The beneficial properties of blue cornflower are also used for cosmetic purposes. Products based on it improve the condition and appearance of the skin in the eye area, face and neck, strengthen hair and prevent hair loss.

Ways to use cornflower

In folk medicine, marginal flowers or, less commonly, cornflower seeds are used for medicinal purposes. The collection and preparation of raw materials is carried out in the summer. First, the entire flower baskets are cut off, and then only the marginal flowers are carefully pulled out of them by hand. The raw materials obtained in this way are laid out on paper in a layer up to 2 cm in height and dried in a dark, ventilated place. Dried flowers are placed in glass jars or fabric bags and used as needed. The shelf life is a maximum of two years in a dry, dark place.

Important: When cornflower flowers come into contact with sunlight during the drying process, they gradually lose their color and a significant part of their healing properties. Such raw materials become unsuitable for use for medicinal purposes.

Blue cornflower flowers have found use in folk medicine as a separate remedy in the form of decoctions, infusions and tinctures, and as part of herbal preparations prescribed for the treatment of diseases of the urinary system, digestive tract, and hypertension.

Infusion of flowers

Cornflower infusion has antibacterial, choleretic and diuretic effects. It is prepared using the following technology:

1. Flowers in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. place in a small saucepan (enamel) and pour a glass of boiling water.
2. Cover the pan with a lid and place in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
3. The resulting infusion is gradually cooled to room temperature.
4. The flowers are filtered and squeezed.
5. Boiled water is added to the solution in such an amount that the total volume is 200 ml.

Take the resulting medicinal product 20 ml in the morning, afternoon and evening. It can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.

Flower decoction

A decoction of cornflower flowers is used for inflammatory eye diseases and colds accompanied by cough. The saponins contained in the flowers have an expectorant effect, therefore facilitating the passage of sputum.

To obtain a decoction, 1 tsp. carefully crushed flowers, pour 0.25 liters of boiling water and boil for 4–5 minutes. Then the product is infused for 1 hour, filtered and taken for laryngitis, sore throat or bronchitis, 40 ml several times a day.

Alcohol tincture of flowers

1. Mix the dried raw materials with alcohol or vodka in a ratio of 1 to 10.
2. Close the container with the resulting mixture tightly and leave for 14 days, shaking daily.
3. Drink 20–30 drops at a time with water.

External use

As an external remedy, blue cornflower flowers have found use for skin irritation, rashes, diathesis, allergic dermatosis, and boils. The decoction of the plant is used to make compresses, lotions, or simply wipe the affected areas of the skin.

In the form of lotions, cornflower is used for eye diseases. To receive the product 1 tbsp. l. flowers, pour 0.4 liters of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, cool and filter. For conjunctivitis, such lotions are used up to 8 times a day.

Recommendation: To relieve fatigue and improve body tone, you can take a bath with cornflower flowers. First, half a glass of flowers along with the baskets is poured with 0.5 liters of boiling water and the mixture is left to infuse for half an hour. The mixture is then filtered and added to a bath with water temperature of approximately 37 °C.

For baldness, it is recommended to rub a warm, freshly prepared infusion of flowers into the hair roots and scalp. A product made from 1 tbsp has a good effect on this problem. l. flowers of the plant, 250 ml of boiling water and 250 ml of table 9% vinegar. The mixture is infused for half an hour, filtered and rubbed into the hair roots.

If you add 20 ml of alcohol or vodka to the infusion, you will get a lotion that can be used to treat oily facial skin. In this case, both dry and freshly picked flowers are used to prepare the infusion.

Use of cornflower seeds

Blue cornflower seeds are an effective remedy in the fight against warts. They are dried and applied to the tumors. They, together with crushed leaves of the plant, can also be used in the form of compresses to speed up the healing of wounds.

Important: Folk remedies with cornflower can be used for treatment only after consulting a doctor, as they have some contraindications, including pregnancy, uterine bleeding, individual intolerance, etc.

All materials on the website are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any product, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!

Cornflowers- not flashy flowers, but they have a natural charm and are well suited for creating natural style flower beds.

Cornflowers are distributed throughout the world, in Russia the name of the flower is given by the name Vasily, which means “royal” because of the crown-like marginal flowers. The Latin name of this flower is Centaurea, which means “centaur”, since according to Greek legend the centaur Chiron healed his wounds with these flowers.

The genus Centaurea includes up to 500 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants from the Asteraceae family. In cornflowers, the flowers are basket-shaped inflorescences, in the middle of which there are small tubular flowers, and on the outer edge there are larger funnel-shaped flowers. The color of cornflower flowers can be blue, light blue, pink, lilac, yellow and white.

In ancient times, cornflowers were weeds for peasants, since the fields of rye were full of blue lights. This annual blue cornflower (Centaureacyanus) or field, and among the people it was called cherlok, voloshka, blavat, weasel, blue, sinyushnitsa, blue flower.

Blue cornflower blooms from June until autumn frosts. It has a thin, strong, erect stem, up to 70 cm high, branching at the top. Inflorescences with a diameter of 2.5-4 cm are bright blue around the edge and dark blue in the center. There are varieties with white, pink, purple, red and even bicolor flowers.

Previously, bright blue paint was obtained from the juice of the inner dark blue small tubular flowers, which are located in the center of the basket, and pale blue paint was obtained from the blue marginal flowers.

After flowering, cornflowers ripen seeds with a fluffy tuft, so they easily scatter over long distances and multiply like a weed. Cornflowers have minimal requirements for growing conditions; they grow well in dry and damp places, but bloom profusely only in open sunny places.

Cornflowers look great alone, as well as in a group with other bright summer flowers with poppies, daisies, esoltia, and calendula. Seeds of low-growing varieties of cornflowers are included in the mixture for the Moorish lawn, which creates a bright lawn of wildflowers.

Annual cornflowers They are very unpretentious, bloom for a long time from June to September, so gardeners are happy to decorate their flower beds with cornflowers. Annual cornflowers are propagated by seeds; they are sown directly into the ground in April - late May; they can also be sown before winter. Shoots appear in a week, and after some time the seedlings are thinned out leaving a distance of 10-12 cm between plants.

Perennial cornflowers require minimal care, and these plants are long-lived, living up to 10 years or more without replanting. However, some types of perennial cornflowers grow quickly due to their creeping rhizomes, suppressing neighboring plants. But there are perennial cornflowers with a tap root; they are less aggressive and slowly spread in breadth, so they reproduce mainly by seeds.

Meadow cornflower (Centaureajacea) can often be found on forest edges and clearings. This plant is up to 80 cm high with strong, erect stems, branched at the top. At the tops of the stems, single large inflorescences-baskets with lilac-pink and white flowers are formed. The stems and leaves of the plant are covered with pile, like a cobweb, so they appear bluish. Meadow cornflower blooms from mid-summer until frost; it is propagated by seeds.

Mountain cornflower (Centaureamontana) grows in meadows in the mountainous regions of the Pyrenees, Alps and Balkans. This cornflower looks spectacular in gardens, but quickly grows into a dense clump, thanks to its highly branching rhizome. Slightly branched shoots reach a height of 60 cm. Large inflorescences up to 6 cm in diameter are blue-violet, but there are varieties with white, pink and purple flowers. This species blooms profusely in May-June.

Mountain cornflower is propagated by seeds, sowing before winter or early spring, as well as by dividing the bush. Mountain cornflower is winter-hardy and can withstand spring frosts.

Cornflower soft (Centaureamollis) its homeland is the Carpathians, where this flower adorns the meadows. Soft cornflower has a long creeping rhizome, so it grows quickly, forming dense thickets. Thin, low shoots up to 30-35 cm in length end in single blue inflorescences. It blooms all summer, is unpretentious and disease resistant. Easily propagated by cuttings of rhizomes and seeds.

Fisher's cornflower (Centaureafischeru) comes from the Caucasus, it has unusual large inflorescences reaching 9 cm in diameter, white or lilac pink. Erect shoots 30-50 cm high have silvery pubescence. Blooms from June to August.

Cornflower large-headed forms a tall bush up to 120 cm with large cones that open into bright yellow inflorescences-baskets. Blooms from July to mid-August. Propagated by seeds, does not tolerate bush division. This tall cornflower is best placed in the background in flower beds.

Growing cornflowers

All cornflowers are light-loving plants, so they bloom well only in sunny places, under trees; even with slight shading or dense planting, they grow worse.

The soil for growing cornflowers must be well prepared, filled with humus, and have a neutral reaction.

Most cornflowers prefer moderate moisture; these flowers are watered only when necessary during periods of drought. The rest of caring for cornflowers consists of weeding and loosening. Fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizer is done regularly only for cut flowers.

Cornflowers bloom in June - July. Perennial species in the first year have not yet gained strength to bloom profusely, but they are already forming a lush bush of leaves. Faded shoots are cut off at the level of the leaf rosette. The basal leaves of cornflowers go green under the snow.

Cornflowers have high winter-hardy qualities, do not require shelter or mulching before winter, and the shoots that appear in the spring can withstand return spring frosts. In general, these flowers are resistant to pests and diseases, so they do not cause trouble for gardeners.

Cornflowers (lat. Centauréa) are valued by gardeners for their unpretentiousness, beauty and abundant long-term flowering. There are varieties suitable for cutting and decorating the site.

In general, cornflowers are trouble-free representatives of the flora. Even the laziest summer residents can safely plant them. When making bouquets, cornflower blue baskets are classically combined with white and.

Botanical description

The cornflower genus is part of the Aster family. It includes about 500 species.

The plant can be annual, biennial or perennial. Most are perennials.

Plants are either erect or recumbent. Stems of varying heights. The tallest species reach 120 cm.

The underground part consists of a rhizome (perennial cornflower) or a taproot (annuals).

The inflorescence of any representative of the Asteraceae is a basket, similar to a shield or panicle. The outer flowers are funnel-shaped, the central ones are tubular. The shape of the inflorescences is spherical or cylindrical. Color varies.

The flowers are unpretentious and practically do not get sick. Perennials are winter-hardy and drought-resistant. But annuals are especially drought-resistant. Their taproot is capable of extracting moisture from great depths.

Flowers are undemanding to soil; they prefer soils poor in humus and rich in calcium. All varieties are light-loving, so they cannot be sown thickly. Any species is capable of self-seeding.

Types and varieties

Blue cornflower is an annual, the most famous representative of the genus. In temperate latitudes, it is found everywhere in open spaces and is considered a weed of cereal fields. The plant is considered medicinal.

Breeders have greatly improved the ordinary blue cornflower - its flower in the photo in seed catalogs is sometimes difficult to recognize. There are varieties on sale in various colors - from white to almost black.

View	Biology	Soil requirements	Reproduction	Decorative properties
Eastern Centaurea orientalis	perennial	Slightly alkaline, light sandy	Bush division, cuttings	Yellow inflorescences, similar to thistles, height 80-120 cm
Mountain Centaurea montana	perennial	Neutral and slightly alkaline sands and loams	Seeds without seedlings, divisions with three or more buds	Height up to 60 cm, color blue and light blue
Blue Centaurea cyanus	annual	Ph 6-8, loam, sand	Seedless, seedless	Height 35-80 cm. Color white, brown, blue, light blue, crimson. There are two-color varieties. Inflorescences up to 4 cm in diameter
Large-capitated Centaurea macrocephala	perennial	Ph 6-8, loams	Seeds, division, offspring	Height more than 100 cm. Color yellow, heads up to 5 cm in diameter, single
Musk Centaurea moschata	Annuals and biennials	Ph 7.0, sand and loam	Sowing seeds in open ground	Height 50-80 cm. Color white, yellow, lilac, purple

Types of cornflowers in the photo:

Centaurea cyanus

Centaurea orientalis

Centaurea macrocephala

Centaurea montana

Centaurea moschata

The varieties of cornflower are extremely diverse. Breeders managed to create dwarf and giant forms of atypical colors. Double cornflowers have already appeared - growing them from seeds is accessible even to beginners.

Different varieties of cornflowers in the photo:

For gardeners who grow flowers for bouquets, the most interesting are tall, large-flowered perennial varieties. They are beautiful, last a long time in vases, are suitable for arranging any bouquets, do not freeze in winter, are durable, and unpretentious.

Plants bloom in June-July. Annuals will immediately delight you with lush flowering. Perennials will only show their first flowers in the first year; they will reveal their decorative potential in 2-3 years.

If you cut flowers in June-July almost at soil level, a second wave of flowering will begin by autumn.

Reproduction methods

Annuals are sown before winter or early spring. Perennials are usually planted in spring in well-warmed soil, dug up and fertilized. Acidic soil needs to be limed.

Perennials are propagated by cuttings of rhizomes and divisions. Plants are planted at a distance of 50 cm.

In the planting hole, the roots are spread out to the sides and down, covered with soil and watered. You need to make sure that they are not buried too deep. If the lower leaves are in the ground, you need to replant them. A properly planted bush has leaves that start at soil level.

There is subtlety in the propagation of mountain cornflower. After dividing the bush, you must cut off the stem, then the bush will take root and bloom the next year. If the stem is left, the division will not survive the winter.

Perennial species grow quickly, turning into picturesque clumps. They are divided every 3 years. If the flowering in the previous season was no less lush than usual, there is no need to divide. In good conditions, the bush will grow in one place for up to 10 years.

Dividing begins in August, after flowering:

• dig up a bush;
• cut it into several pieces;
• plant in a new area at intervals of 30-40 cm.

Often those who want to have cornflowers on their plot and plan to grow them from seeds do not know when to plant them. Seeds can be sown from the second half of April. The culture does not like transplantation. It is better to sow it immediately in the right place. If the seedlings are too dense, they can be partially weeded out.

You can grow cornflowers from seeds in the fall. Pre-winter sowing begins when stable autumn frosts set in. In the middle zone this period occurs in October, beyond the Urals - at the end of September.

You can sow until permanent snow cover is established. This flower is not afraid of the cold, but snow will make sowing work difficult, so the bed must be prepared in advance: dig up, fertilize and make furrows.

In autumn, seeds are sown more often and more shallowly than in spring, since their germination rate will decrease. Over the winter, the top layer of soil can turn into a dense crust, and it will be difficult for seedlings to break through it. Therefore, it is better to cover the seeds in the furrows not with soil, but with peat or other loose substrate.

There is no need to water winter crops. In the spring, when the snow melts, they will have enough natural moisture.

Plant care

The flower is very unpretentious. To grow cornflowers, the gardener will only need three things: planting, watering and weeding.

Cornflowers are inhabitants of open ground. There is no place for them in the room or greenhouse. The bushes thrive in bright sunshine, so to plant them you need to choose open areas away from trees and buildings.

Flowers can survive without watering for a long time. Meadow and mountain need watering more than others, but even they cannot tolerate waterlogging.

Cornflowers love loose, light, poor soils. If the soil on the site is clayey, you need to add sand when planting. You don’t need to loosen the flower garden, but only weed the weeds.

If the leaves begin to turn yellow between the veins, this is a sign of chlorosis. This means the soil is too acidic. In such cases, a thin layer of dolomite flour or fluff is poured onto the soil surface and lightly loosened.

The best time for liming is October and September. During the autumn rains, the ameliorant will wash into the deeper layers of the soil and reach the roots.

Any complex composition is suitable for fertilizer. Fertilizing allows you to increase the flowering time, but excessive nutrition leads to the opposite effect - the plants will stop blooming and begin to fatten, throwing out more and more leaves.

Any, even the most beautiful cornflower can easily turn into a weed, so after flowering the shoots need to be pruned, preventing the formation of seeds. If plants are grown for cutting, they need to be watered and fed every two weeks.

A detailed, visual and high-quality video review from the Garden World channel:

Diseases and pests

Cornflowers are not threatened by diseases or pests, so preventive or therapeutic measures are not required.

In rare cases, leaves covered with suspicious spots are cut off and burned. Next year the bush will be covered with young and healthy leaves.

As a chemical agent against any spotting, you can use foundationazole.

Cornflower in landscape design

Perennial species can be planted in. They are not as light-loving as annuals, but still really need light. Therefore, in group plantings, aster perennials are placed on the south side.

If you sow the area with a mixture of low natural perennial grasses, and sow unpretentious low annual flowers (cornflower, toadflax, eschscholzia, self-sown flax), you will get a practical alternative to the Moorish lawn. In such a composition you can use any natural plants that grow successfully in a particular area: clover, thyme, periwinkle, budru, bluegrass.

Medicinal properties

The medicinal properties of blue cornflower are most pronounced. This wildflower contains organic compounds with antimicrobial, antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects.

Infusion and decoction of Centaurea cyanus are taken for a number of diseases:

• stones in the kidneys;
• chronic diseases of the urinary tract and prostate gland;
• swelling;
• hypertension;
• hepatitis;
• cystitis;
• fever;
• headache;
• conjunctivitis.

Cornflower preparations are poisonous. They are prohibited to be taken without consulting your doctor. Due to their toxicity, decoctions and infusions are not used in the treatment of pregnant women and children.

Where to buy cornflower seeds?

Cornflower seeds remain viable for up to 5 years. You can collect your own planting material and store it in paper bags and canvas bags at room temperature.

Planting material is offered by online stores:

Shop	Packing, g	Price, r
Semenapost	0,1-1	11- 95
	0,1-0,5	12-16
First seeds	14-80	0,1-0,5

Pharmacotherapeuticgroup. Diuretic.

Description of the plant

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Rice. 8.21. Blue cornflower - Centaurea cyanus L.

Blue cornflower flowers-flores centaureae cyani
- centaurea cyanus l.
Sem. Compositae– asteraceae (compositae)
Other names: field cornflower, blavat, voloshka, blueflower, cyanosis

One- or biennial herbaceous plant with a thin tap root and a branched thin stem 30-80 cm high (Fig. 8.21).
Leaves alternate, lower ones - petiolate, trifoliate or pinnately lobed, upper ones - linear-lanceolate, coarsely toothed or entire-edged, sessile. Like the stem, the leaves are slightly cobweb-like and gray-green in color.
Flower baskets single, large, on long peduncles located at the ends of the stems, with a wrapper of imbricated membranous leaves.
Marginal flowers blue, funnel-shaped, asexual, irregularly five-toothed; median- violet, tubular, bisexual. There are 2 times more middle flowers than marginal ones.
Fetus- an oblong gray achene with a short, easily breaking off tuft.
Blooms in June – July, fruits ripen in August.
The plant easily tolerates autumn frosts.

Composition of blue cornflower

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Main active ingredients cornflower flowers are

• anthocyanins: cyanin – cyanidin diglucoside, pelargonidin glycosides,
• as well as flavonoids, represented by derivatives of apigenin, luteolin, quercetin and kaempferol.

In addition, there are

• coumarins (cycornine),
• tannins,
• a little essential oil
• bitter glycosides.

Properties and uses of cornflower

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Pharmacological properties of cornflower

Cornflower flowers as an infusion

• increase diuresis,
• have a choleretic effect,
• have antimicrobial properties,
• have an antispasmodic effect.

In clinical studies on patients with urolithiasis, it was discovered that infusions of cornflower flowers

• increase diuresis,
• reduce the concentration of substances involved in stone formation in the blood (calcium, inorganic phosphorus, uric acid),
• increase phosphorus clearance in urine,
• reduce the level of uricemia and uric acid in the urine.

Use of cornflower

Cornflower flowers are used

• for edema in patients with heart disease as a diuretic;
• as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic agent in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases
  • kidney,
  • urinary tract (pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis),
  • prostate gland;
• in patients with salt metabolism disorders (urolithiasis, cholelithiasis) as a remedy diuretic and regulating salt metabolism.

The bitterness found in the plant improves digestive functions.

Choleretic, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties cornflower flowers are used for

• cholecystitis,
• cholangitis,
• biliary dyskinesias,
• hepatitis.

Spreading

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Spreading. A field weed, widespread throughout the European part of the country, except for the Far North and arid southern regions. In Western Siberia it is found only in the southern regions. There are winter and spring forms.

Habitat. In crops of rye, wheat and other grain crops, sometimes found in fallow lands, young fallow lands, and waste areas.

Procurement and storage of raw materials

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Preparation. For medical purposes, only marginal and partially central tubular flowers without baskets are used. The raw materials are collected immediately after the flowers bloom in the basket. When harvested later, the flowers turn white. The quality of raw materials depends not only on the time of collection, but also on drying methods. When harvesting, the cornflower baskets are picked or cut off and the outer flowers are plucked out. The receptacle and involucre are discarded.

Drying. In rooms with good ventilation, lay out the flowers in a thin layer (1-2 cm) on paper. It is better to dry quickly in artificial dryers at a temperature of 50-60 ° C. The yield of dry raw materials is 20%.

Standardization. GF XI, issue. 2, art. 6.

Storage. In a dry, well-ventilated area, protected from light. Shelf life: 2 years.

External signs of raw materials

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Blue cornflower - Centaurea cyanus L

Blue cornflower flowers

Mixture marginal and middle flowers.
Marginal flowers asexual, irregular, with a funnel-shaped corolla up to 2 cm long, with 5-8 deeply incised lanceolate limb lobes and a tubular base up to 6 mm long.
Median- bisexual, with a tubular 5-toothed corolla about 1 cm long, sharply narrowed from the middle to the base.
Stamens 5, with loose woolly filaments and fused anthers.
Pestle with lower ovary.
Color marginal flowers blue, colorless at the base; middle ones are blue-violet.
Smell weak. Taste slightly spicy.