Agrostemma or Corncockle

Family Caryophyllaceae. The name comes from the Greek words `agros` - arable field and 'stemmatos' - wreath, garland, which can be translated as field garland.

It comprises 3 species of annual and biennial herbaceous plants, widespread in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Two species are used in floriculture.

Location: light-loving, require a sunny position. Drought-tolerant, cold-hardy.

Soil: grown on light, calcareous, not wet soils.

Propagation: by seed, sown early in spring in their permanent place, in clusters of 3-4 seeds. If the soil warms to 12-16°C, seedlings will appear within 1-2 weeks. They are thinned, leaving 15-30 cm between plants. They do well when sown in late autumn.

Uses: especially good in mixed plantings with grasses, when the flowers tremble even in a light breeze, like decorative butterflies. It looks good in a vase in country-style bouquets. In bouquets it lasts up to 7 days. Corncockle is used for container culture, but it should be borne in mind that the plants need support. Lodging can be easily prevented with a thin wire ring. Attracts bees.