Cornflower Black Ball (Cornflower) – Deep, Velvety Blooms with Cottage Garden Ease

Cornflower Black Ball is a hardy annual that brings drama and softness in equal measure. Plants reach around 80 to 90 cm and carry sumptuous double blooms in a deep claret shade that can look almost black as the light shifts across the petals. The flowers sit lightly above slender stems, creating movement and height without heaviness. This combination of rich colour and airy structure has made it a favourite for cottage gardens, naturalistic borders and cutting beds.

The flowers draw bees and hoverflies throughout summer and provide an elegant contrast to pale pastels, silvery foliage and softer meadow tones.

Growing Conditions

Give Cornflower Black Ball a sunny position and well drained soil. It thrives in lighter or moderately fertile ground rather than heavily enriched beds, which helps keep stems strong and upright. Although it is a hardy annual, young plants benefit from protection against late frost. Once established it is reliable, resilient and often self seeds gently in suitable conditions.

Planting Guide

Sowing Indoors: February to April. Sow 3 mm deep in seed compost at around 16 to 20 °C until seedlings appear.
Transplanting: Pot on when seedlings can be handled, then harden off before planting outside after frost.
Direct Sowing: March to May in prepared soil once temperatures are rising.
Spacing: 25 to 30 cm apart so flowers can stand tall and airy.

Care and Maintenance

Watering: Keep soil lightly moist while plants establish. Mature plants cope well with short dry spells.
Feeding: A light feed in early growth is enough. Excessive richness can encourage soft, floppy stems.
Supporting: In exposed positions, gentle staking or mesh support helps keep the tall stems steady.
Deadheading: Remove spent flowers to encourage more blooms or allow a few to set seed if you want natural returns the following year.

Flowering and Cut Flower Tips

Flowering usually begins in June and continues into August. Cut stems when the blooms have just opened for the best vase life. The deep colour adds drama to arrangements and offsets whites, pinks and silvers beautifully.

Garden Impact

Cornflower Black Ball brings an atmospheric richness to summer borders. Its dark flowers drift above the planting, adding contrast and movement that pairs well with grasses, cosmos, scabious and pale cottage favourites. The blooms have a natural grace that suits meadow-style gardens and cutting beds while supporting a wide range of visiting pollinators.