Purple Bachelor's Button
Centaurea cyanus
Annual
DYE: dark purple, greyish-purple
 
GROW: With vivid color, 'Black Magic' makes great dried or cut flowers, while edible petals make a stunning garnish to salads, crudités platters, or dinner plates. Bachelor's button, also called cornflower, is native to much of the U.S. and will self-sow for another crop of flowers the following season, and birds love the seed heads! Plant in full sun,  12" apart with moderate water, grows to 18-24" tall, blooms mid-summer until the first frost.
 
HARVEST:  Flowers are harvested at peak bloom and dried out of direct sunlight, and stored in open paper bags. To save seed,  allow flowers and seeds to dry on the plant.
 
EXTRACT DYE: The rich, dark purple color results from the strong but highly water soluble pigment anthocyanin. The dried or fresh flowers are best used in ecoprinting or in applications that don't require washing.