Plant ID card |
|
|---|---|
Botanical name |
Cosmos ssp. |
Common name |
Cosmos. |
Family |
Asteraceae. |
Origin |
Mexico. |
Dimensions |
From 30 to 1.50 m high x 0.50 m wide. |
Foliage |
More or less light green, fine, very jagged. |
Bloom |
From June to October. Single or double solitary flower heads, on long branched stems, pink, carmine or white for Cosmos bipinnatus, orange or yellow for Cosmos sulphureus and chocolate brown with a delicious chocolate scent for Cosmos atrosanguineum. |
Exposure |
Sun, partial shade. |
Ground |
Drained, light. |
Rusticity |
From 0°C to -5°C. |
Very easy to cultivate, cosmos flourish generously on drained, poor and dry soils, without special maintenance.
Where to plant cosmos?
The wild appearance of cosmos predisposes them to gardens with a natural atmosphere. They are found in flower meadows, but also in
summer flower beds or rock gardens
to which they bring lightness. The shorter varieties can, moreover, be accommodated in planters or pots of at least 30 cm in diameter.
Good sunshine, as well as warm, well-drained, even stony soil are the guarantees of abundant flowering. Poor and even calcareous soils are very well tolerated, whether dry or fresh. Note: a preference for
humus soils
on the part of
Cosmos atrosanguineus.
Also read: 20 edible flowers to grow for original, elegant and tasty dishes!
When and how to plant cosmos?
Sowing cosmos can start as soon as the last frosts have passed
(April in mild climates),
until June. Proceed in open ground on cleaned and refined soil. When the plants are large enough, thin out to obtain a spacing of 20 to 45 cm in all directions, depending on the variety.
Sowing under cover is possible from
March,
for transplanting to the final location after the last frosts. Allow between 2.5 and 3 months between sowing and flowering.
Sowing cosmos can start after the last frost, in open ground on cleaned and refined soil. Copyright (c) 2019 aimful/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
Cosmos Care Tips
Cosmos are plants that have few needs and are
very easy to grow
. The tallest varieties can be staked to prevent them from sagging and faded flowers will be removed to encourage the new ones to bloom. Pinching the stems also allows them to branch, which results in more abundant flowering. Watering in the event of summer drought helps support flowering.
At the end of autumn, if your winter temperatures drop below -5°C, consider
digging up the tubers of
perennial varieties
to store them in peat or sand, in a frost-free place, but not heated. The following spring, watch for spontaneous seedlings to emerge. Non-invasive, they always please the gardener.
For more abundant flowering, pinch the stems of your young cosmos shoots. Copyright (c) 2019 aimful/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
The beautiful varieties of cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sensation Radiance
':
variety 1 m high, with candy pink petals spotted with purple at the base, 9 cm in diameter;
Cosmos bipinnatus
'
Piper Red
'
: dwarf variety (75 cm) with flowers with tubular petals, dark pink-red inside, pale pink outside, 7 cm in diameter;
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Cupcakes
':
variety 90 cm high, with cup-shaped flowers, toothed and united petals, white or pink;
Cosmos bipinnatus
'
Double Click Snow Puff
'
: variety 90 cm high with double flowers, pure white in color;
Cosmos sulphureus
'
Crest orange
'
: variety 60 cm high, with semi-double, coppery orange flowers, 6 cm in diameter;
Cosmos atrosanguineum
'
Chocamosha
'
: dwarf tuberous variety (40 cm) with velvety purple-brown flowers, 6 cm in diameter.