Irish wildflowers BSBI map

Corncockle, Agrostemma githago
Photographs: roadside Co. Cork

Corncockle
Agrostemma githago
Cogal
Family: Caryophyllaceae

Flowering June-August. Annual. Introduced.

The pale purple-red flowers with hairy sepals and calyx tubes are followed by distinctive seedpods. Introduced cultivars have sepals and petals more or less the same length. Narrow lanceolate leaves. Height to 1m.

Known as an arable weed from Viking times until the 20th centuary. Now extinct as an agricultural weed due to better seed cleaning methods but is frequently included in wildflower seed mixtures.

Corncockle, Agrostemma githago

Corncockle, Agrostemma githago
Corncockle, Agrostemma githago

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