Corncockle

Corncockle Plant

Corncockle (Agrostemma githago) grows naturally among corn fields in European countries. It was introduced around the world by countries that import European wheat. When the wheat was harvested, Corncockle was harvested and mixed in with the wheat seed. Past developments in agriculture technology helped remove Corncockle from exported European wheat.

The poisonous Corncockle plant can reach heights of 1 meter. They have very few branches, all of which are covered in small, fine hairs. The stalks are very hard and stand up erect. The leaves reach lengths of 15 cm but are normally much smaller. They are lanceolate in shape, opposite and a light shade of green in color.

Corncockle is also known as Gith and Zizany.

Corncockle Flower

A pink or purple flower will develop and grow on the end of each Corncockle branch. These summer blooming flowers do not have a strong fragrence and grow to a maximum of about 5 cm. The design of each petal includes 2 or 3 black lines.