Cornflower Pink Ball
Cornflower Pink Ball
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Cornflower 'Pink Ball' Seeds
While the classic blue cornflower is bold and electric, 'Pink Ball' is all about romance and softness. It produces masses of fully double, ruffled blooms in a delicate shade of candy-floss pink. The flowers sit atop tall, silver-green stems, looking like floating pom-poms.
This is a must-have for the "Pastel Garden." It mixes effortlessly with whites, lavenders, and apricots, adding a frothy texture to borders and bouquets. Just like its blue cousin, it is incredibly tough, easy to grow, and loved by bees, but it offers a vintage, feminine aesthetic that is perfect for wedding work.
Read our full UK growing guide for Cornflowers here: Cornflowers in Your Cottage Garden: Growing Guide for UK Climate
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Cornflower is a Hardy Annual.
It grows, flowers, and sets seed in one season. It is a "cool season" flower, meaning it establishes best in the cooler days of spring or autumn.
The "Ball" Difference: Standard wild cornflowers have a single row of petals. 'Ball' varieties have been bred to have extra rows of petals in the centre, creating a denser, fluffier flower head that lasts longer in the vase.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Cornflowers have a taproot and dislike being transplanted.
Germination:
Sow directly outdoors in Autumn (Sept) for bigger plants next year, or Spring (March-May). Scatter seeds onto raked soil and cover lightly (3mm deep). Germination takes 14-21 days.
Where to Sow:
They demand **full sun**. They thrive in well-drained soil. Do not over-feed them; rich soil leads to lots of leafy growth but weak stems. They prefer "lean" conditions.
Care While Growing:
Support: 'Pink Ball' grows tall (90cm). In exposed spots, use twiggy sticks or netting to support the stems.
Deadhead: Keep picking! The more you cut for the house, the more buds the plant will produce.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Centaurea cyanus |
| Common Name | Cornflower 'Pink Ball' |
| Hardiness | H7 (Very Hardy - to -20°C) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 75cm - 90cm (Tall) |
| Spread | ↔️ 30cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 30cm apart |
| Great for | ✂️ Cut Flowers 🎀 Pastel Themes 🐝 Bees & Butterflies 🥗 Edible Petals |
| Seed Count | Approx. 200 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
'Pink Ball' is the key ingredient for a soft, romantic planting scheme:
- ☁️ Cosmos 'Purity': The Marshmallow Mix. The pure white saucers of Cosmos look dreamy next to the fluffy pink buttons of the Cornflower. A classic, airy cottage garden pairing.
- 💙 Nigella 'Miss Jekyll Blue': The Baby Shower Look. Mixing the soft pink cornflower with the baby blue Love-in-a-mist creates a quintessential pastel border that looks good enough to eat.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow outdoors in autumn or spring. Flowers mid-summer to autumn.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Outdoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||
| Flowers | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
⚠️ Edible Garnish
Cornflower petals are edible! Pull the pink petals from the head and sprinkle them over cakes, salads, or drinks for a beautiful, natural confetti.
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
Even though they are double, 'Pink Ball' cornflowers still produce plenty of nectar for bees and butterflies, making them a decorative and wildlife-friendly choice.
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