Barley and cornflowers, Nordhausen, Germany

© Mandy Tabatt/Getty Image

Barley and cornflowers, Germany

Known for their distinctive qualities and purposes, barley and cornflowers are two famous agricultural crops of Germany. Gerste, the German name for barley, is a grain that may be used to make bread, brew beer and feed livestock. In many parts of Germany, especially in Bavaria and Franconia, it is an important crop.

Cornflowers, the bright blue blossoms you see in today’s photo, are a type of wildflower that bloom in the summer and are used as a decorative plant in gardens or as natural textile dyes. They are endemic to Europe and have come to represent the fauna and flora of Germany. During the harvest, the combination of these two crops is a sight to behold in the German countryside.