Help with cornflowers and bachelor buttons

I need some help identifying seeds.... I have seeds that look identical, one batch is labeled Cornflower, and the other is labeled Bachelor buttons. Are they the same thing? I know that some cornflowers are perennial, and bachelor buttons are annuals, so how do I tell them apart?

I'm posting this on the perennial forum also, just wanted to cover all bases

Thanks
Janis

i always thought cornflower was Centaurea cyanus and bachelor's buttons were Scabiosa spp.

Scott, I have no idea, that is why I am asking.. in the Plant Files I found this searching for bachelor buttons
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/92256/index.html
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/90638/index.html
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/55949/index.html
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/56416/index.html

for cornflower, this is the plant files search
http://davesgarden.com/pf/search.php?search_text=cornflower

See why I'm confused?? LOL

Janis

that is quite a mess. i can't even find scabosa referred to as bachelor's buttons except like 3 sites on google, so i'm guessing that usage is a little atiquated.

Thanks for trying Scott, I"ll just keep looking :) I do appreciate it

Janis

I think they're the same.
Did you place them in storage in the same season?

I see in our PF that Stoke's Aster are also referred to as Corn Flowers. I grow bachelor buttons, mountain bluet, and Persian cornflower from seed. Both mountain bluet and bachelor buttons have an oblong, hard shelled seed with a little brush-like tip on one end. The bluet seeds are much larger.

Scabiosa got its name because it was used as a medicinal aide in curing Scabies back in the day so you can probably guess why you found it hard to find the name reffering to the cute little bachelor button. lol

Yes Cornflowers and Bachelor Buttons are the samething when used to refer to the plant Centaurea cyanus (Asteraceae). The only thing to really watch out for is if its perennial bachelor button as that is not the same plant. It is a much larger more bushy plant with larger blue flowers.