Corn Cockle – Agrostemma Githago
Corn Cockle is a cornfield annual with tall stems and large striking pink flowers from May to August. The plant reaches the height of upto 1m.
It is now virtually extinct in the wild.
Seed can be sown onto a bare earth site in the autumn or spring. As the seed is short lived once in the soil it is probably best to avoid sowing in winter or early summer. Corncockle can be established on most soils but does particularly well on free draining sandy loams. Being an annual it requires open ground to re-establish itself, so autumn re-cultivation is essential if you wish it to return.
