Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden
Cornflower Black Ball
Cornflower 'Black Ball' Seeds
Another beauty from the Cornflower family. Black Ball is actually more of a very deep, dark plum colour than black and is absolutely stunning when used as a cut flower. I love it teamed up with the bright orange of calendula for a real eye-catching display, but it's also wonderful in softer arrangements and sits very well amongst pinks, blues, and reds too.
Bees and other pollinators adore cornflowers; grow them, and your garden will be buzzing and humming all summer long. Keep deadheading or cutting bunches of flowers for friends to prolong the flowering season.
Add a touch of sophisticated drama to your garden and vases with Cornflower 'Black Ball'. This highly sought-after hardy annual produces striking, double, shaggy flowers in the deepest velvety maroon-black. It's incredibly easy to grow and provides a stunning contrast to brighter flowers in borders and bouquets. Beloved by bees and fantastic for cutting, both fresh and dried.
Perfect for autumn sowing! See our full Seeds to Sow in October collection. A stunning choice for easy cutting flowers – explore the Direct Sown Seeds collection and our Cutting Garden Seeds collection! Love Cornflowers? See our 'Black & Mauve Mix' or classic 'Blue Ball' seeds too!
| Quantity of Seeds | 200 Seeds |
| Type | Hardy Annual |
| Genus | Centaurea cyanus |
| Sow Seeds |
Sow in September for larger, stronger plants and/or in late April. Can be sown in modules to transplant later or directly into the soil. Pre-water the soil before sowing. Sow thinly and cover only very lightly. Do not let the soil dry out. Grow in poor, well-drained soil and in full sun, and it is advisable to grow through some netting as they are prone to flopping over in high winds without support. |
| Plant Out | July–October Keep cutting and deadheading to encourage more blooms |
| Flowers | June-September |
| Height & Spread |
60-90cm high x 30cm spread |
RHS Plants for Pollinators
The RHS Plants for Pollinators mark is only given to plants that support pollinating insects.