Centaurea cyanus L., also known as CornflowerCentaureaAnnual or biennial herbaceous plants, up to 70 cm tall, upright, branched, stems and branches grayish-white, with basal leaves arranged in corymbs or paniculate inflorescences. Involucres are ellipsoid, disc florets, in blue, white, red, or purple, achenes elliptic, flowering and fruiting period from February to August.

Centaury, the flower of Europe, was once a wild bloom. Through years of cultivation, its wildness has diminished, the flowers have grown larger, and the colors have expanded to include purple, blue, light red, and white, with purple and blue being the most prized. It thrives on German hillsides, fields, riverbanks, roadsides, and even in front of and behind houses. It is revered as the national flower of Germany.

This is both an ornamental plant and a goodHoney SourceHerbs. The border flowers can act as diuretics, and the whole herb infusion can improve eyesight. The seeds contain 28% oil.