Centaurea cyanus ‘Classic Fantastic’ | Cornflower | Bachelor’s Button

A vibrant and enchanting blend, ‘Classic Fantastic’ brings together the most captivating shades of blue — from airy sky tones to deep midnight hues — often with striking bicolour petals that shimmer in summer light. This mix offers a fresh, modern twist on the beloved cottage-garden cornflower, making it an essential choice for borders, naturalistic plantings, cut-flower gardens and pollinator-friendly spaces.

Easy to grow and wonderfully productive, this hardy annual flowers generously from May to September. With regular harvesting, stems keep coming — a true cut-and-come-again variety perfect for bouquets, meadow-style mixes and season-long colour.

Plant Information

• Botanical name: Centaurea cyanus ‘Classic Fantastic’
• Common name: Cornflower, Bachelor’s Button
• Type: Hardy annual
• Days to maturity: 65–80 days
• Pinching: Not necessary
• Height: 80–100 cm
• Position: Full sun
• Flowering: May – September
• Use: Borders • Cut flowers • Landscapes
• Packet size: 1 g
• Approx. seeds per packet: 250

Why Grow ‘Classic Fantastic’

• Magical blend of blue shades, including two-tone flowers
• Easy, reliable, cold-tolerant — ideal for direct sowing
• Long, strong stems perfect for bouquets (7-day vase life)
• Loved by bees and beneficial insects
• Classic cottage-garden charm with modern colour tones
• Excellent choice for beginners

Sowing Instructions

Direct Sow (Recommended)

• Sow August–September for early summer flowering
  or
• Sow March–April directly into prepared soil
• Depth: 3 mm
• Rows: 30 cm apart
• Thin to 15 cm spacing

Indoor Sowing (Optional)

• Sow onto moist compost, cover lightly
• Germination: 14–21 days at 15–20°C
• Transplant gently to 8 cm pots
• Overwinter under cover and plant out in spring
• Tip: freeze seeds 10–14 days before sowing to boost germination

Growing Tips

• Do not fertilise — encourages leaf, not flowers
• Plants enjoy being slightly crowded
• Deadhead or harvest regularly for extended bloom
• Pinching not required

Harvesting & Vase Life

• Harvest when flowers are ¼–½ open
• For sprays: cut when half the florets are open
• Vase life: up to 7 days

Ideal For

• Cottage gardens
• Meadow-style borders
• Naturalistic planting
• Cut-flower gardens
• Pollinator-friendly spaces