Cornflower Pink Ball

Centaurea cyanus 'Pink Ball' Cornflower 'Pink Ball'

Soft, shaggy, fully double cornflowers in shades of warm rose-pink and gentle salmon — the romantic blush sister of 'Blue Ball', bringing soft, candy-floss colour to the cottage border and a perfect long-stemmed pink to any cutting bouquet.

The pink form of the cornflower family produces the same fully double, ruffled "Ball"-type blooms as its blue and maroon relatives, but in a soft, warm rose-pink that adds a candy-floss romance to summer borders. The shade varies slightly across plants — some lean toward salmon, others to deeper rose — giving the planting a natural pastel variation that reads beautifully in cottage-style schemes. Tall on silvery-green stems (75–90cm), with characteristic feathery cornflower foliage. Like all 'Ball' cornflowers, this is a generous "cut-and-come-again" performer: the more you cut, the more it flowers, with stems lasting 5–7 days in the vase. Hardy annual (H7), RHS Plants for Pollinators recognised — the open accessible flower form is genuinely loved by bees and butterflies. Edible petals.

A note on growing

Direct sow outdoors in September for the autumn-sown strength advantage, or in March to May. Cornflowers have deep taproots and resent transplanting — direct sowing is essential. Sow at 3mm depth in well-drained soil. Full sun. Lean, poor soil produces the strongest plants. Plants reach 75–90cm and benefit from twiggy support inserted early in exposed gardens. Deadhead weekly or cut regularly to maintain continuous flowering through to the first frosts.

Where it shines

In the cutting garden as a romantic, soft-toned cut flower — the long wiry stems and unique fluffy pink blooms are perfect for adding gentle pastel colour to any fresh arrangement. In cottage borders that lean romantic, where the soft pink complements roses, peonies and other blush-toned classics. In wildflower-style plantings for a softer alternative to the more familiar blue. The pink petals are particularly photogenic on summer cakes and pavlovas — their soft colour holds up better visually than the more saturated dark cornflowers.

Plant alongside

For a romantic pink-and-blue cottage palette, pair 'Pink Ball' with 'Blue Ball' for the classic complementary cornflower combination. For a soft pastel scheme, combine with Cosmos 'Apricotta' (matching warm tones), Cosmos 'Daydream' (with its blush-pink centres), and Ammi majus for airy white contrast. The pink also looks beautiful with Achillea 'Pastel Mixed' for an all-pastel cottage cutting scheme.