HEIRLOOM VICTORIAN FAVOURITE CENTUREA POLKA DOTS! DROUGHT TOLERANT! BEES AND BUTTERFLIES ADORE THESE!

Centaurea Polka Dot Mix, known botanically as Centaurea cyanus, is a colourful blend of the traditional cornflower. The species is native to Europe, particularly the Mediterranean region, where it was once a common sight scattered among cereal crops. Its association with farmlands dates back many centuries, with records of cornflowers growing in European fields as early as the Iron Age. The Polka Dot Mix is a modern cultivar developed for ornamental use, offering a cheerful range of colours beyond the traditional cornflower blue, including pinks, purples, reds and whites.

Cornflowers have a long history of medicinal use in traditional European herbal medicine. They were valued for their mild astringent and anti-inflammatory properties, especially in remedies for eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, which earned the plant the old name “bachelor’s button.” Herbal infusions made from the petals were also taken to ease digestive complaints and as a gentle tonic. While these uses are mostly historical today, the plant still holds a place in herbal lore.

How to Grow:

Growing Centaurea Polka Dot Mix from seed is straightforward and rewarding in Australian conditions.

Seeds can be sown directly into the garden bed in early spring or autumn, when the soil is moist and warm enough to encourage germination.

Choose a sunny, open spot with well-drained soil, as cornflowers prefer poorer soils to overly rich ones.

Scatter the seeds thinly, cover lightly with soil, and water gently.

Germination usually occurs within a couple of weeks, and the young plants develop quickly.

Once established, they require very little care beyond occasional watering during dry spells.

Deadheading spent flowers will encourage continuous blooming, and the tall stems make excellent cut flowers for arrangements.