Cornflower

Common names : Bachelor's button, Bluebottle, Boutonniere flower, Hurtsickle, Cyani flower

There is a lot of folklore attached to this flower.  It is also a national flower of quite a few countries.  Native to the UK, where it was first found growing in crop fields and particularly that of corn and hence the name.  The herb grows well if the soil is disturbed, that they thrive in ploughed fields. But as herbicide usage increased, the herb growth declined in the wild and is now found cultivated in gardens. 

They make good cut flowers.  And the attractive blue adds a flash of colour to the surroundings.

 Photographed at Lodi Gardens, Delhi.

Botanical name: Centaurea cyanus    Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)