Cornflower Hydrosol
Centaurea cyanus
Cornflowers are beautiful blue flowers that offer a number of therapeutic benefits.
Look to the citations from hydrosol experts Suzanne Catty and Jeanne Rose in the Uses and Applications section below for information on the potential benefits of Cornflower Hydrosol.
I find the aroma of Cornflower Hydrosol to be quite pleasant. I have a hunch that if you like the aroma of Roman Chamomile Essential Oil or Roman Chamomile Hydrosol, you might just like the aroma of Cornflower Hydrosol. They don't smell that much alike, but they all have a pleasant, sweet, floral, herbal quality to them.
Botanical Name
Centaurea cyanus
Aromatic Strength
Mild-Medium (Depending on source)
Shelf Life
Up to 1 year if stored properly (refrigeration is recommended).
Reported Properties, Uses and Applications
Suzanne Catty reports that Cornflower Hydrosol may be used as an eyewash and is useful as a compress for tired, itchy eyes. She also mentions that it's useful for mature and dry skin. She states that it may contain phytohormones and could potentially be helpful for hot flashes. [Suzanne Catty, Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy (Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2001), 81.]
Jeanne Rose adds that Cornflower Hydrosol can be used for these applications: "eyewash, skin toner, dry or mature skin, bruising, hot flashes, relaxing." [Jeanne Rose, 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols (Berkeley, CA: Frog, Ltd, 1999), 170.]
Sustainability and Conservation Status
Least Concern
Source: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/51179533/51180112
The scope of the IUCN assessment was limited to Europe.
Last Accessed: February 21, 2026
To learn more about the conservation status of essential oil and hydrosol-bearing plants and learn how to use the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, please refer to AromaWeb's Guide to Essential Oils and Sustainability.
Safety Information
Read AromaWeb's Hydrosol Safety Guidelines.
The hydrosol information and safety precautions provided within this area are intended for educational purposes only. Neither AromaWeb, LLC nor its founder take responsibility for how you use the information provided.
Suzanne Catty states that because Cornflower Hydrosol may contain phytohormones, she recommends avoiding its use during the first trimester of pregnancy. [Suzanne Catty, Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy (Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2001), 81.] Read AromaWeb's Hydrosol Safety Guidelines.
Helpful Sources of Information About Cornflower Hydrosol
Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy
Author: Suzanne Catty
375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols
Author: Jeanne Rose
