The blue cornflower is widespread across most of the former Soviet Union, except in arid regions and the far North. It blooms from May to August.
The first mention of the cornflower dates back to Pliny the Elder in the 1st century AD, when it was just beginning to be cultivated in ancient Rome alongside rye. One ancient Greek legend tells of Asclepius, the son of Apollo and the god of medicine, who learned that cornflower juice was effective in healing wounds and used it to treat many warriors.
In scientific medicine, the cornflower is recognized as a mild diuretic and choleretic agent.
Traditional medicine utilizes this plant for treating conditions such as dropsy, jaundice, and inflammation of the kidneys and bladder. Additionally, an infusion of blue cornflowers acts as an antispasmodic remedy.
The flower infusion is consumed for colds, coughs, stomach pains, fever, and palpitations, and it can also be used in the form of drops and compresses for certain eye conditions. Crushed cornflower seeds are sprinkled on warts, while the leaves are applied to wounds.