Centaurea cyanus 'Blue Boy'

Common Name:
Cornflower 'Blue Boy'

Description:
Centaurea cyanus 'Blue Boy' is a classic cottage garden annual, loved for its vivid, true-blue, fringed flowers that bring a soft, natural charm to garden beds and borders. Flowering prolifically from late spring through summer, this variety produces an abundance of long-stemmed blooms that are ideal for cutting and floral arrangements. The delicate, slightly silvery-green foliage provides an attractive contrast to the intense blue flowers. Well-suited to Melbourne’s climate, 'Blue Boy' thrives in full sun and prefers well-drained soil, tolerating poorer soils once established. It is an easy-care, fast-growing plant that readily self-seeds, making it a reliable addition to informal and wildflower-style plantings. Its nectar-rich flowers are highly attractive to bees and beneficial insects, enhancing biodiversity in the garden.

Form:
Shrub - Small

Mature Size:
Height: 60–90 cm
Width: 30–45 cm

Aspect:
Full Sun

Flowering:
Flowers in Spring
Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:
Bright blue

Key Attributes:
Annual
Bee Attracting
Suitable for Pots
Suitable for Cut Flowers
Self-seeding
Fast growing
Suitable for Cottage Gardens

Toxicity:
Generally considered non-toxic to humans and pets.

Companion Plants:
Cosmos
Nigella (Love-in-a-mist)
Poppies
Calendula
Sweet Pea
Larkspur

For more information and photos of this species, Warners Nursery has detailed information available to the public here