Dwarf Blue Bachelor's Buttons Seed

Dwarf BlueBachelor's Buttons Seed

Intense blue cornflowers bloom on compact two-foot plants
Edible petals brighten salads, desserts, and garnishes
Flowers feed honey bees and native bees
Self-seeding can create informal recurring displays

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Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Centaurea cyanus

Days to maturity

65 Days

Sun

Full Sun

Packet

500 Seeds

About Dwarf Blue, Bachelor's Buttons Seed, Bachelor's Buttons Seed

The Dwarf Blue Cornflower makes for a beautiful display of dark blue flowers that are attractive as cut or dried flowers. This beautiful variety is a very drought tolerant flower. The Dwarf Blue is an annual, but will "naturalize" yearly when the seed drops. It readily comes back the next year to produce another crop of blue flowers. In warm climates, plant the Dwarf Blue in summer to early fall for a winter bloom.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/4"

Days to Germination

7–14 days

Germination Type

A - No Pretreatment

In-row plant spacing

12-18"

Plant profile

Life Cycle

Annual

Plant Height

24 inches

Growth Habits

Compact, Upright

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

5,563

Color

Blue

Seed Type

Open Pollinated

Before Planting

Prepare a sunny, open bed with average drainage and minimal enrichment. Bachelor’s buttons establish best where sown, so remove weeds thoroughly and reserve enough room for branching plants and natural reseeding.

Planting

Direct sow bachelor’s buttons 1/4 inch deep in early spring, or fall sow where winters are mild. Seed germinates readily in cool soil around 60–65°F. Indoor starting is usually unnecessary; if used, sow 4–6 weeks before the last frost in individual cells. Thin seedlings to 6–12 inches apart.

Watering

Water lightly and regularly until seedlings are rooted. Mature plants tolerate dry intervals; soak during extended drought, then let the surface dry to discourage weak stems and mildew.

Fertilizer

Skip fertilizer in normal garden soil. If a soil test shows poor fertility, use compost or a single light balanced application; excess nitrogen delays flowers and makes stems lodge.

Harvesting

Harvest bachelor’s buttons when flowers are fully colored and just opening, before centers shed pollen or petals fade. Cut above a branching node to encourage additional stems and place flowers into water promptly. For edible petals, use only unsprayed flowers correctly identified as Centaurea cyanus.

Tips

Thin rather than transplant crowded seedlings, and support tall varieties in exposed sites. Deadhead to prolong flowering, or leave selected late heads to dry when seed saving or reseeding is desired.

Pests & Diseases

Bachelor’s buttons may develop powdery mildew, rust, Botrytis blight, stem rot, or aster yellows. Check for white coating, orange pustules, gray mold, dark stem lesions, and distorted yellow flowers. Avoid crowding and overhead watering, remove infected material, rotate flower beds, and destroy plants with likely aster yellows rather than composting them.

Aphids collect beneath bachelor’s button buds, thrips scar petals, and leafhoppers may spread aster yellows. Remove plants with distorted green flowers, rinse aphids from stems, and control weeds that shelter leafhoppers. Japanese beetles can be handpicked during cool mornings if they appear.