Cornflower

Value for beekeeping

Cornflower is the traditional weed of cereal fields; it declined because of spraying but has become widespread again through flower strips and garden mixtures. The tubular florets in its blue flower heads give nectar; in addition, bees collect from the extrafloral nectaries at the tips of the bracts that enclose the head at the bud stage. This double source makes it a good nectar plant.

Flowering

It flowers for 6-8 weeks from May to July; autumn sowings flower earlier, spring sowings later.

Honey and pollen

Although honeys dominated by cornflower are occasionally mentioned in Europe, a commercial monofloral honey is not common. Its pollen contribution is moderate.

Note for the beekeeper

Together with phacelia, buckwheat and mustard it is one of the basic components of bee mixtures; 1-1.5 kg of seed per decare (1,000 m²) is enough. It grows well on calcareous and sandy soils and lodges on rich, fertilised soils.