Cornflower

Some postcards from Estonia have enlarged my knowledge about flowers. For the first time I know about cornflower. I think I’ve seen this flower once, maybe on TV because it’s not grown here in Indonesia. Too hot weather I guess. Cornflower has many nicknames. Its Latin name Centaurea cyanus Cornflower also known as the Bachelors button, Bluebottle, Boutonniere flower, Hurtsickle, Cyani flower is a small annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe.

The plant can grow up to 16-35 inches tall, with grey-green branched stems.At first when I heard the name of cornflower I have yellow on my mind, since corn is yellow. But I was wrong, it’s blue instead of yellow. And I think it’s the best blue flower in the world.

In the past it often grew as a weed in crop fields. It is now endangered in its native habitat by agricultural intensification, particularly over-use of herbicides, destroying its habitat; in the United Kingdom it has declined from 264 sites to just 3 sites in the last 50 years.

In folklore, cornflowers were worn by young men in love; if the flower faded too quickly, it was taken as a sign that the man's love was not returned. In herbalism, a decoction of cornflower is effective in treating conjunctivitis, and as a wash for tired eyes.

The blue cornflower has been the national flower of Estonia since 1968 and symbolizes daily bread to Estonians. May other political parties in the world have used this flowers as their symbol, such as the Estonian political party, People's Union, the Finnish political party, National Coalition Party, and the Swedish political party, Liberal People's Party. It is also the official flower of the Swedish province of Östergötland.

(Repost from Wikipedia)