Catananche caerulea – Common Cupid’s Dart – Blue Cupidone – Cupid’s Dart –

Description

Catananche – Blue Cupidone – Cupid’s Dart – Catananches means ‘love potion’. There are about 5 cornflowers like annuals and perennials, in this genus. They occur in meadows of the Mediterranean. They have linear to inversely lance shaped, grayish green leaves, mainly in basal tufts, similar to a dandelion. They are grown for their leafless stems that carry solitary, flowers, with strap shaped, blue, yellow or white petals and papery like, silvery white bracts. Ideal for a sunny border, the flowers are also good for cutting and drying. Grow in any well drained soil in full sun. Divide in spring. Prone to powdery mildew. C. caerulea – Common Cupid’s Dart – This fast growing, short lived perennial from Southwestern Europe and Italy grows 20-36″ tall and 12″ wide. It produces clumps of narrow linear, grass like, hairy gray-green leaves, to 12″ long. From mid summer to autumn it bears solitary, dark centers, blue to lilac-blue flowers, 1 ½-2″ across atop of slender, weak, leafless stems. Flowers are suitable for cut and dry floral arrangements. Zones 4-8