HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY

This is CENTAUREA cyan's, also called Cornflower or Bachelor Buttons.

This is an heirloom annual flower my son grew from seed for me.
It is the tallest of the various flowers he germinated & the flower buds have been teasing me for days.  See the EXTRA for the great unveiling.

I am always curious about the common names of flowers.  In this case,
it was called CORNFLOWER because it grew wild on the edges of corn fields.  And is called BACHELOR BUTTONS because young courting gentlemen wore them in their lapels, when visiting their companions.

This full sun annual can be planted in borders, rock gardens & any sunny spot where it can spread & naturalize.  It will grow in poor & rocky soil, but it must be well drained.  The frilly, showy flowers, of pink, red white & true blue attract bees & butterflies; however, each flower only lasts 1 day.   They are edible, a colorful edition to a salad.

This old fashioned flower is a welcome addition to my border, but 
some gardeners might not like that is self seeds prolifically.  The true
blue color makes me so happy.