# corn cockle (*Agrostemma githago*)

Corn cockle is a pretty flower that grows in fields and meadows. It has bright pink petals and can attract butterflies and bees, making it a lovely sight in nature.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![corn cockle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Agrostemma_githago_120605.jpg&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agrostemma_githago_120605.jpg)

## Appearance

The corn cockle has tall, slender stems topped with vibrant deep pink to purple, funnel-shaped flowers. Each flower displays five broad, notched petals, often with distinctive long, pointed sepals extending beyond them. Its leaves are narrow, grey-green, and slightly hairy.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Caryophyllaceae
- **Genus:** Agrostemma

## Interesting facts

- A single corn cockle plant can produce hundreds of seeds in one season!
- Corn cockle was once a super common weed in grain fields worldwide!
- Its bitter seeds actually warn animals not to eat them!
- This plant's name comes from its old habit of growing in 'corn' (grain) fields.

## Special abilities

- **Toxin Shield:** Corn cockle has toxic seeds containing githagin that helps it defend against being eaten by hungry herbivores.
- **Dusty Traveler:** Its robust seeds can remain viable in soil for many years, helping it survive until good growing conditions return.
- **Flower Beacon:** The corn cockle's striking pink-purple flowers act like a beacon, helping to attract busy pollinating insects.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-100 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** High
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — visits showy flowers for nectar
- **Eats:** Lychnis moth (*Hadena bicruris*) — larvae feed on the plant

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate

Don't eat any flowers or seeds you find in nature, just enjoy looking at them!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify corn cockle?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is corn cockle?

30-100 cm

### How wide does corn cockle spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on corn cockle?

3-5 cm

### When does corn cockle bloom?

Late spring to mid-summer

### Is corn cockle edible?

No

### Is corn cockle toxic?

High

### What is corn cockle's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Corn Cockle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/corn-cockle)