Black Ball - Centaurea Seeds

SKU: FCE103

Open-Pollinated

Heirloom

$3.95

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Packet 300 seeds

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Black Ball bachelor’s button takes the familiar cornflower form and deepens it to wine‑red, almost black in certain light. Compact but free‑flowering, it stands about 2–3 feet and makes excellent dried blooms for winter projects. Bachelor’s buttons were once tossed in medieval salads and used as mild eye rinses in European folk medicine; today they mostly feed pollinators and bring saturated color to beds. Direct sow in cool soil, cut often, and let a few heads seed around for next spring’s surprise volunteers.

How to Grow

Plant seeds directly in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked, roughly a few weeks prior to average last frost date. Optimum soil temperature for seed germination is 60-70°f. When seedlings are 1" tall, thin to 1 plant every 6-12". Or, start seed indoors 3-5 weeks before transplanting into the garden. Transplant to the garden 1-2 weeks after your average last frost. Self-sows freely and can reappear in the garden the next year. It reaches heights of up to 3 feet and may need support. Its edible flowers are for fresh bouquets or drying.

Growing Specs

Scientific name: centaurea cyanus
Days to maturity: 65-75
Seed depth: 1/4"
Days to sprout: 7-14
Plant spacing: 6-12"
Row spacing: 18-24"
Light requirements: sunny
Plant height: 24-36"
Life cycle: annual
Frost hardy: no

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Open-pollinated seeds perfect for seed saving

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