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Are cosmos flowers annual or perennial


Are Cosmos Perennials? Increase Summer Bloom Time

Featured | Flowers

ByKate Van Druff Updated on

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Prolific in bloom, cosmos can be a fantastic flowerbed stunner. Brilliant in color and magnets for pollinators, what’s not to love?! But, are cosmos perennials or annuals?

We’ve started growing cosmos back in our 2020 garden. After quite a few amazing seed swaps, I ended up with sensation cosmos and seashell cosmos.

Seashell cosmos flower with tubular petals in our 2021 garden

At the time, I didn’t know if cosmos are perennials or annuals.

Now that I’ve grown them and familiarized myself, I can talk about cosmos for days!

What is the scientific name for cosmos flowers?

Cosmos flowers are scientifically known as Cosmos bipinnatus or Cosmos sulphureus. Cosmos sulphureus (sulphur cosmos and yellow cosmos) most commonly flower in shades of yellow and orange (or even red). Sometimes called garden cosmos and also Mexican aster, Cosmos bipinnatus brighten flower beds with hues of pink, purple, maroon, and white, with many other variations.

Pale purple pink cosmos in our 2021 garden – are cosmos perennials?

Are cosmos perennials?

Most popular varieties of cosmos are not perennials as they are not winter hardy. Gardeners generally treat cosmos as an annual flower and plant new plants each year. Also, tuberous cosmos, cosmos atrosanguineus, can be treated as a perennial with proper care.

Moreover, cosmos often drop seeds and end up reseeding themselves, which may give the illusion of a perennial plant.

Fuchsia purple colored cosmos flower from our 2021 garden

Do perennial cosmos exist?

Yes, sort of. Chocolate cosmos are considered tender perennials with a tuberous root that requires care much like dahlia tubers. Native to Mexico, chocolate cosmos dazzle gardeners with their chocolatey scent and deep crimson coloring.

Do cosmos reseed themselves?

Yes, cosmos flowers readily reseed themselves! Whether by the wind, animals like bird swiping seeds, or another force in nature, cosmos often drop seeds that readily sprout the next year.

Fancy Cosmos flower with dark maroon and white / light pink in our 2021 garden

Tips to Extending Cosmos Bloom Time

If you want to grow cosmos and enjoy endless summer blooms, try some of these quick and easy tips!

Maroon red cosmos flower in our 2021 garden

Final Thoughts: Are cosmos annuals or perennials?

While we’d love for cosmos to live forever, we’ve answered the question – are cosmos annuals or perennials – with a slightly disappointed “annuals” for most and a delighted “tender perennials” for chocolate cosmos!

Either way, isn’t it fun planting cosmos from seed like Apricot Lemonade Cosmos?! Or buying new flowers to plant every year?!

Cosmos hail from the same family as daisies and sunflowers, Asteraceae. They make lovely cut flowers and they’re very easy to grow.

Side profile of a cosmos flower in our 2021 garden

If you aren’t already growing cosmos in your garden, I highly recommend them. They’re prolific bloomers and require little care in my experience.

(Of course, you can deadhead them or pinch cosmos to create more compact plants if you like.)

Sorry to burst the bubble that cosmos aren’t perennial, but I hope you’ll try growing them anyway! They’re among one of my favorites like zinnias and sunflowers.

Lots of purple cosmos flowers in our 2021 garden

Let us know if you have any questions about cosmos or any fun stories to share about growing them in your own garden! We always love hearing from gardeners who share our love of planting and caring for gorgeous flowers.

Happy Gardening!

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How to Grow and Care for Cosmos

Cosmos are freely flowering annuals that are easy to grow by sprinkling some seeds in the garden after any danger of frost has passed. These quintessential cottage garden flowers reach full maturity in about two months. Cosmos can be slower to germinate, but it blooms quickly after that and continues to flower through the fall. The flowers sit atop long slender stems and form a cloud of attractive color all summer that attracts bees, butterflies, and birds to your garden. Cosmos flowers look a lot like daisies. They come in a broad range of colors, with more cultivars developed every year. The leaves grow opposite on stems and are deeply lobed, pinnate, or bipinnate and feathery-looking depending on the type. If you plan to have cosmos and live in the southern U.S., consider keeping them as potted plants since they tend to be invasive there.

Common Name Cosmos, Mexican aster, cut-leaf cosmos
Botanical Name Cosmos sulphureus, Cosmos bipinnatus 
Family Asteraceae
Plant Type Annual
Mature Size 1-6 ft. tall, 1-3 ft. wide
Sun Exposure Full
Soil Type Well-draining soil
Soil pH 6.0–6.8 (Acidic)
Bloom Time Summer through fall
Flower Color Golden yellow, white, pink, magenta, orange, yellow, red, chocolate
Hardiness Zones 2–11 (USDA)
Native Area northern South America, Central America, and southern North America

Cosmos Care

Cosmos grow easily in beds and make great cut flowers. When established, the plants can handle drought, poor soil conditions, and general neglect. They even self-sow. This is a truly low-maintenance plant.

While some pests, like aphids, flea beetles, and thrips feed on cosmos, they're easy to control with a strong spray of water or insecticidal soap. Aster yellows, bacterial wilt, and powdery mildew may also affect cosmos. Space plants accordingly to ensure good airflow to avoid diseases.

Taller varieties look good in the middle or rear of the border with goat's beard, coneflowers, and black-eyed Susans. Shorter varieties make very colorful, airy edging plants.

Warning

Cosmos sulphureus is invasive in the southeast United States. Check with representatives from your local extension office to learn about any restrictions in your area.

​The Spruce / Letícia Almeida  Tim Bird / Getty Images  The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

Light

For the best flowering, choose a site that gets full sun. Cosmos will grow in partial shade but will have fewer blooms and be less vigorous when planted in shady areas. These plants will also thrive under uninterrupted full sun in the hottest conditions, much like their native habitat: the arid regions of Mexico and Central America.

Soil

Cosmos plants prefer a neutral soil with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0, although they will grow in poor soil where many flowering plants languish. They perform best in medium moisture, well-drained soils, but they will perform adequately in dry soils. Avoid planting in a rich soil; it can cause the plants to get too tall and flop over. You can prevent drooping by staking the plants or growing them close to other plants that can support them.

Water

Once established, you will not need to water your cosmos plants unless there is a prolonged drought. Where water is limited, these are the last plants that require irrigation.

Temperature and Humidity

Hot weather is ideal for cosmos, and they thrive in any humidity level.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing can negatively impact cosmos. Cosmos can handle poor soil. Too much fertilizer can often lead to strong plants with lots of foliage but few blooms. Unless your plants seem to be struggling, these plants do not need fertilizer.

Types of Cosmos

There are over 25 species of cosmos. However, three species are most commonly used in gardens and landscaping. Cosmos sulphureus is native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. With golden yellow blooms, it is very drought tolerant and loves hot weather. The plant grows 2 to 6 feet tall and comes in double and semi-double flowers. Some of the more recent cultivars tend to be shorter, more orangy, and with smaller flowers.

Cosmos bipinnatus are colorful daisy-like flowers that come in white, pinks, reds, and orange. At 1 to 4 feet in height, they are shorter than C. suphureus and are available in several popular hybrid series. Although they are not quite as heat tolerant as C. sulphureus, C. bipinnatus will grow well in just about any sunny space.

Chocolate cosmos are a separate species: Cosmos atrosanguineus. The dark red flowers smell like chocolate. This perennial is hardy to USDA zone 7, but it is higher maintenance than annual cosmos. Like dahlias, it grows from tubers.

Other common cosmos cultivars include:

The Spruce / Letícia Almeida Eva Lechner / Getty Images Suzanna Ruby / Getty Images

Pruning

The only real maintenance cosmos plants need is deadheading which will prolong the flowering season. If you fall behind, shear the plants by about one-third, when most flowers have faded. This kind of pruning produces a second flush of leaves and flowers. By the end of the season, you can cut off the plants at ground level or pull them up, roots and all. However, if you leave the plants in place, they may self-seed for the following growing season.

Propagating Cosmos

Cosmos plants readily self-seed. It's best to propagate these plants after the threat of frost is gone. Although sowing seeds is the best and easiest way to propagate this plant, you can also propagate via stem cutting. When you take stem trimmings, it stimulates more leaf and flower growth. Besides seed, stem cutting is the best way to propagate this plant. Here's how you do it:

  1. You'll need sterile pruning shears or scissors and a pot of sterile, well-draining potting soil.
  2. Fill a small 3-inch container with moistened potting soil. Using a pencil tip, push straight down in the soil about 1 to 2 inches deep, making a shallow hole.
  3. Look for a cosmos shoot that has 3 to 5 leaf nodes on the stem. Cut under the last leaf node. At the last leaf node, carefully cut off the leaves, leaving the node intact for new growth.
  4. Bury the cut tip of the stem in the pencil-made hole. Make sure that the last leaf node is above the soil line. Push down the soil around the stem, compacting the soil to keep the stem upright and in place.
  5. Water generously and keep moist. You should notice new leaf growth within three weeks. If you do, you can gently pull the root ball out of the container, Transplant the root ball to its new location.

How to Grow Cosmos From Seeds

Start seeds indoors, four to six weeks before the last frost. Or if you can sow cosmos outdoors directly in the garden well after the threat of frost is gone. Cosmos grow very quickly but can be killed by a late frost, so don't rush it. They typically germinate in 7 to 21 days at 75 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by flowering in about 50 to 60 days.

Loosen the soil to a depth of 8 inches. Plant the seeds and cover them with 1/4 inch of fine soil. Seed packets usually recommend precise spacing, such as at 2-foot intervals, or you can scatter the seeds and let the plants support each other as they grow. You can always thin them out later, moving the extra plants to another part of the garden.

Potting and Repotting Cosmos

When growing cosmos in pots, make sure the container has bottom drainage holes. Cosmos can't handle overly wet, soggy soil. Plan on growing one cosmos plant per gallon of your container. If growing in pots, do not enrich the soil, it makes the plants grow tall, leggy, and droopy. Also, tall varieties will need staking in containers. At the very least, plan on using at least a heavy, 12-inch diameter container.

Overwintering

Cosmos is an annual. If left outside in frosty temperatures, they will die. However, at the end of the growing season, if you allow the dead flower heads to drop their seeds, cosmos seeds will go dormant and sprout when the soil warms up again in the spring.

If you have a potted cosmos in a container and want to keep your cosmos alive over the winter season, you will need a bright full sun growing lamp for at least 7 hours a day. You will need to snip off any blooms as they form. This plant's life cycle ends with flowering when it drops its seeds for the next growing season.

How to Get Cosmos to Bloom

Cosmos plants need full sun to bloom. Even the hint of shade, can restrict flowering. Also, to encourage more blooms, you need to deadhead the old blooms. For faster blooms, prune between the main stem and a leaf. The lower you cut in the stem, the longer it takes to grow more flowers.

Common Problems With Cosmos

Cosmos are easy to grow and maintain over the growing season. They are usually resistant to disease, and most insects; however, some pests can become a nuisance and affect their growth.

Wilting or Leaf Discoloration

If your plant has ample water and is not wilting from a lack of hydration, there are two possible causes.

A plant that is wilting with leaf discoloration might have a common fusarium fungal infection. If you dig up the plant and notice a pink mass on the roots, then the plant likely has fusarium. The whole plant is beyond help, will die, and should be disposed of to stop the fungus spread.

If you dig up the roots and they look healthy, the plant may have a bacterial wilt infection. The bacteria cause the stems to wilt at their base. This plant will die and should be disposed of.

Yellowing Leaves and Leaf Drop

Powdery mildew mainly affects plants in the shade. Fungus spores fly through the air and attach to a host plant in a shady spot. It creates a powdery white coating on leaves and causes leaves to yellow and fall off. To prevent powdery mildew, provide your plants good circulation, bright light, and avoid getting water on the leaves. If your plant has fungus, use a horticultural fungicide according to the package instructions.

Flowers Distorting or Stunting in Growth

As a member of the aster family, cosmos can get aster yellows, a disease spread by leafhoppers (a tiny grasshopper-looking insect). The leaves will get yellow mottling on the leaves, and the flowers will appear distorted or stunted. Dispose of these plants since there is nothing you can do help them recover.

FAQ

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Cosmos sulphureus Cav.sulphur cosmos. United States Department of Agriculture.

  2. Cosmos (Cosmos). Connecticut State Agricultural Experiment Station.

  3. Cosmos bipinnatus. Missouri Botanical Garden.

  4. Fusarium Wilts. Royal Horticulture Society.

  5. Diseases of Cosmos. National Gardening Association.

  6. Powdery Mildew. University of California Integrated Pest Management.

  7. Cosmos: Aster Yellows. University of Minnesota Extension.

Cosmos: cultivation, planting and care

Cosmos is an ornamental flowering plant that makes you think of warm summer and bright sun. Once upon a time, these elegant flowers were brought to our region from sultry Mexico, they successfully took root and became worthy decorations of city squares, flower beds and private territories. Cosmos are quite unpretentious and will surely appeal to every gardener. Florists appreciate the plant for its colorful shades and ability to decorate summer compositions. You can order seasonal and other flowers in Kharkov on our website around the clock. nine0003

Features of Cosmos

Cosmos is a herbaceous annual or perennial, also called "cosmos" or "Mexican aster", belongs to the family Asteraceae, or Asteraceae. The name of the culture has Greek roots and means "decoration". The plant is thermophilic, in the wild it is found in the tropics and subtropics of the North American continent (mainly in Mexico). In appearance, kosmeya is a fluffy shrub with a height of half to one and a half meters. The stems are vertical, strongly branched, thin and flexible. The leaves grow opposite each other, their surface is dissected and quite spectacular. During the flowering season, daisy-like flowers bloom on the tops of the shoots, collected in loose inflorescences. In diameter, each inflorescence reaches 10-12 centimeters. Flowers may also be solitary. The composition of the inflorescences includes small tubular buds, painted in light yellow, and large reed flowers of various colors (white, lilac, pink, bright yellow, red, etc.). nine0003

Recently, terry cosmeas have gained popularity among flower growers. This is not a separate variety, but simply a terry variety of Mexican aster, artificially bred by breeders. Its fruits are yellowish-brown colored containers with seeds that have good germination (approximately 2-3 years).

Species and varieties of cosmea

In total, more than twenty species of cosmea are known, however, only three of them can be grown in mid-latitudes (one perennial and two annuals). But today there are many hybrid flower varieties that are no less decorative than the parent species. nine0003

Cosmos bipinnatus

Cosmos bipinnatus is an annual flowering herbaceous plant whose natural habitat is the foothills of Mexico. Branches are vertical, strongly branched. The height of the bush reaches 160 centimeters. The leaves are so finely and densely dissected that they can be confused with dill. The diameter of the flowers is up to 10 centimeters. The buds are either solitary or grow in large paniculate inflorescences. Small lateral buds are purple, red, pink or white, and the middle tubular flowers are yellow. Cosmea double-pinnate is characterized by abundant flowering, and also reproduces well by self-sowing. The species has been actively cultivated since the end of the 18th century. Now it is the most popular variety. Most popular varieties:

  1. Dazzler. An interesting feature of this variety is that at the stage of budding the inflorescences are bright scarlet, but over time they become crimson.
  2. Purity. Bush with flexible shoots and white flowers.
  3. Sonata Pink Blush. The Sonata series is quite wide, but Pink Blush is considered the most decorative species in its composition. This is a miniature culture with pink central buds and red fringing flowers.

Cosmos sulphureus

Sulphur-yellow kosmeya is an annual native to Central and South America. The species is whimsical to habitat conditions, it needs warmth all year round. The stems are vertical, branched, covered with a small pile. The total height of an adult bush is 1.5 meters. Leaves with sections that form elongated lobes with sharp ends. Reed buds are deep yellow, tubular buds are light yellow, with coral edges. The most popular varieties:

  1. Bilbo. It features velvety orange inflorescences. nine0024
  2. Crest Lemon. Miniature view (up to 50 centimeters in height). Lime flower color.
  3. Diablo. Attracts attention with bright red flowers.

Blood-red cosmea (Cosmos atrosanguineus)

Blood-red cosmea is the only perennial cultivated in our conditions, a native of Mexico. The second name of the plant - "black kosmeya" - was given to it because of the dark purple petals with a terry coating. The inflorescences have an alluring aroma reminiscent of cocoa. Leaf plates are unpaired. Although the culture is able to survive our winters, it is still better to grow it in flowerpots, which can be transferred to the house during the cold weather. When grown outdoors, flowers require mandatory shelter. Most popular varieties:

  1. Brightness. The shrub is characterized by abundant flowering. Terry buds are very bright.
  2. Antiquity. A low-growing variety with a unique feature: the young flowers are ruby ​​in color, but over time they become coral pink with a copper tint.
  3. Double Click Rose Bonbon. Differs in velvety large pink flowers. The variety retains its freshness in a vase for a long time.

Growing Cosmos from Seeds

Growing Cosmos from seeds is the most popular way to propagate the crop, while growing gerbera and some other daisy-like flowers is best done vegetatively. At the same time, cosmea can be grown both through seedlings and immediately in open ground. nine0003

When to plant

It is customary to sow the seeds of cosmea with the advent of March, as soon as the snow cover melts. Seed material is distributed pointwise, 3-4 pieces in each area, with a distance of 30-40 centimeters between them. Strongly deepen the seeds into the ground is not worth it, 1 centimeter is enough. Planted plants will bloom at the end of July or at the beginning of August. Also, Mexican aster seeds can be planted in the second half of November. In addition, the flowers reproduce perfectly by self-sowing, the main thing in the spring is not to forget to thin out the hatched sprouts. nine0003

Growing seedlings

Growing cosmea through seedlings is a more efficient and faster method of producing fragrant and vibrant flower bushes. Seeds begin to be planted for seedlings from early to mid-spring. As in the previous case, after sowing, the seeds are only slightly deepened; they can also simply be sprinkled with a small layer of soil. After that, the seedlings are irrigated with water, and the container is covered with polyethylene or transparent glass and sent for storage in a bright place. In this case, the temperature should be kept at the level of 18-21 degrees. Subject to all conditions, the first shoots can be seen in 1-2 weeks. Sometimes it happens that the sprouts grow thickened, in which case they are weeded, keeping a distance of 10-13 centimeters between the bushes. Some flower growers prefer not to weed, but to dive young cosmos in personal containers, after which they take them to coolness (about 15-16 degrees will be enough). If you do not want to engage in either thinning or picking, sow seedlings in separate cups immediately. nine0003

Planting Cosmos in open ground

Planting Cosmos in open ground is a simple process that every grower will surely cope with, regardless of experience.

What time to plant

Planting Mexican aster seedlings in open soil begins in the first week of June. The main thing is that the return spring frosts are already behind, and the height of the bushes has reached a mark of at least 6 centimeters. They can be planted at the end of spring, but, again, if night frosts are no longer expected. A site suitable for planting should be well lit and protected from drafts. The preferred substrate is neutral or slightly acidic, moderately fertile and with a drainage layer. A large amount of nutrients in the soil will lead to the active growth of greenery, and flowering will become scarce. nine0003

Planting features

When warm weather settles down in the yard, not very deep holes should be dug on the site allocated for planting (for tall cosmos, their size should be approximately 30x30 centimeters). Next, water is poured into the holes, sprouts are planted and the voids are filled with earth. At the end, the bed is moistened again. Keep in mind that tall cosmos will most likely need support, so immediately after planting, stick a long wooden stick or stake into the ground next to the bush. Also grown plants can be tied up. When young cosmos grow up to 50 centimeters, their upper shoots are pinched, which allows the plant to bush. Mexican aster obtained through seedlings will bloom at the end of June or in mid-July. nine0003

Cosmos care

Cosmos is an extremely unpretentious plant, the care of which will not take you too much time and effort.

Location and lighting

Bushes should preferably be planted in a sunny area. A strong wind can break thin shoots, so it is advisable to consider a fence. Also, there should not be closely spaced groundwater on the site, as this is fraught with stagnant moisture. Otherwise, consider good drainage. Plant bushes at a small distance from each other. The length of this distance depends on the variety of cosmea, but, as a rule, 30 centimeters will be enough. nine0003

Soil

Mexican aster is undemanding to the type of substrate. However, if the soil on the site is airy and moisture-permeable, moderately saturated with mineral and organic fertilizers, this will only benefit the flowers. An excess of organic matter will lead to the fact that you will grow lush green bushes, and you are unlikely to appreciate all the decorativeness of cosmea. And with a moderate nutritional value of the soil, you will get plantations with a large number of bright buds.

Watering

Mexican aster does not hold liquid well enough that it needs to be watered frequently and generously. On hot summer days, each bush is watered with five buckets of water once or twice every 7 days. At the same time, do not forget to periodically loosen the site, breaking up the compressed areas after watering. Along the way, you can weed weeds, as weeds negatively affect the growth rate of young crops. nine0003

Fertilizers

Cosmea responds positively to preparations that stimulate flowering. They are introduced at the beginning of the growing season, that is, with the advent of June. Moreover, the mixture must be applied under the root, and sprayed onto the green mass. Also, in addition, throughout the season, flowers are fed with superphosphates and organic matter (manure, humus). However, these fertilizers are necessary only if the cosmos grow in a site with insufficiently nutritious soil.

Seed collection

If perennial cosmea grows on your beds, they can be propagated by cuttings and tuber division. And annual plants after the initial planting for the first 3-5 years reproduce well on their own. If you do not want to allow self-seeding, at the end of the flowering period, cut off the flowers from the bush, leaving only a few large inflorescences. They can be put on gauze bags so that the seeds do not crumble to the surface of the soil. Mature seeds become dark brown in color. When this happens, you can start collecting. However, keep in mind that Mexican asters grown from self-harvested seeds are unlikely to inherit maternal characteristics. For this reason, flower growers rarely collect seeds, preferring to purchase them in gardening shops. nine0003

Wintering

To prolong the flowering period of the crop, it is necessary to cut off faded buds in time so that young flowers grow in their place as soon as possible. In the southern regions, in order to preserve the Mexican aster for the winter, it is necessary to cut off all the green mass at the end of November to the level of the ground surface or leave no more than 12-15 centimeters of stems. Next, the culture is covered with a thick layer of withered foliage and spruce branches. With the advent of March, the shelter must be removed so that the shoots do not sag. And in the northern regions, a site with flowers is dug up in mid-October and all parts of the shrub are removed. nine0003

Pests and diseases

Cosmos have strong immunity and resist infections, diseases and pests. The only thing is that gastropods can annoy young shrubs. Slugs and snails are quite large, clearly visible and can be collected from flowers simply by hand. And to prevent their appearance, special traps that are installed around the perimeter of the plot with plantings will help. You will need small bowls filled with beer. The beer aroma attracts parasites, they gather in traps and are very easy to remove. nine0003

The use of cosmea in landscape design

Cosmea is highly valued for its elegant inflorescences and openwork leaves. Such shrubs can become a bright accent in any area or flower bed. Often Mexican asters are planted along the fence, garden paths, borders, in flower beds, next to tall deciduous trees and shrubs. Often, cosmos can be found between the rows of vegetable crops, since the plant has not only aesthetic, but also practical benefits. The dense carved greenery of the cosmea covers the vegetables from the sultry rays of the sun, but at the same time does not completely obscure them. It is worth noting that the culture is quite friendly and does not harm neighbors. Often cosmeas are planted next to daisies, carnations, geraniums, mallows. Multi-colored flowers harmonize well with each other. Also, cosmos are often planted in garden flowerpots or pots, which are placed at the entrance to the house or next to the gazebo. nine0003

perennial flower: planting and care, when to plant, sowing before winter, why it does not bloom Sulfur-yellow sensation, terry

Cosmea - Mexican aster - beautiful flowers belonging to the genus of annual and perennial herbs of the Asteraceae family. The name of the culture in Greek means "decoration". The birthplace of cosmea is the subtropics and tropics of the United States, a significant part of the plants grows in Mexico. In Russian climatic conditions, only one perennial and two annual cosmeas are grown.

Content

Description of the plant

Cosmos reach 50-150 cm in height. Flower stems are flexible, thin, highly branched. The leaves are openwork, doubly dissected, opposite type, rather elegant sizes. The inflorescences look like baskets and are visually similar to daisies. Cosmos inflorescences can be up to 12 cm in diameter and are visually similar to chamomile inflorescences. nine0003

Cosmos flower

The median flowers of the baskets are yellow, tubular in shape and small in size, while the reed flowers can be quite large, white, pink, purple or golden. The fruits are dark yellow, gray and brown achenes.

The germination of cosmea seeds lasts up to two or three years.

Species and varieties

Currently, more than 20 species of cosmea are known, but only two of them are common in Russia - double-pinnate and sulfur-yellow. Double pinnate has stems 50-120 cm tall with pinnately dissected narrow leaflets. Type of inflorescences - multi-flowered baskets. Reed flowers are quite large and gather in inflorescences. In their central part are small tubular yellow flowers. Cosmea sulfur-yellow forms stems 30-150 cm in height, depending on the variety, its leaves are wider, the flowers are of medium size. The sulfur-yellow species is quite thermophilic. nine0003

Sulphur-yellow

At least 20 species of cosmea are known, but only two of them are common in Russia - double-pinnate and sulfur-yellow. There is also a blood-red kosmeya with velvety burgundy-black flowers, but it is practically never found in Russia. This species normally grows only in the southern regions.

Blood-red cosmea is also called chocolate because of its special aroma.

Now let's consider the main varieties of the flower:

Sensation

Breeders are constantly working on developing new varieties - among the interesting novelties are Terry Button, Orange, Pink, Pikoti, Sweet Dreams.

Planting dates

Cosmos is a strong plant, highly resistant to external factors. It normally withstands even light frosts, grows well both in the sun and in the shade (although it blooms better in the sun). You will get more flowers with frequent planting, with a significant distance between plants, green mass will grow. nine0003

Cosmea normally withstands even light frosts. To make it bloom beautifully, plant thickened. Landing Mirabilis is carried out according to the same scheme.

The flower is not demanding on the ground, its reproduction is carried out by seeds. They will need to be scattered on the surface of the beds in early spring and lightly sprinkled with earth (without deepening). Some gardeners sow cosmea under the snow before winter.

Seeds

Flower propagation by seedlings is not difficult. In March or April, press some seeds into the soil, then water and cover with a film, move to a bright place. The first shoots will appear after two weeks. When the flowers reach 10 cm in height, they will need to be thinned out, and after the end of spring frosts, the plants will be transplanted into the garden. nine0003

Growing from seeds

Growing cosmea from seedlings is preferred by many gardeners, because in this case shoots appear faster than when sowing seeds. Picked seedlings are usually grown at a temperature of 16-18 ºC. In principle, it is not necessary to make a pick - in this case, sow 2-3 seeds at once in separate cups.

Care of seedlings

Care of kosmeya is reduced to watering after planting and during dry periods once a week. Additionally, loosen and weed the soil - this will help to get lush and strong seedlings. nine0003

Seedlings

If the soil is initially fertile, additional feeding is not necessary. Do you want to fertilize the soil a little during the formation of buds? Add double superphosphate to it and pour over the mullein.

It is advisable to tie up tall varieties - otherwise the wind will break the stems.

Cut off faded buds - this will stimulate the formation of new flowers and give the plant a well-groomed appearance. After the start of frost in the fall, you can cut the stems, leaving about 15 cm from the soil surface. Leave the largest buds on the seeds. nine0003

Planting in open ground

Planting of kosmeya in open ground is carried out in early June - the return frosts end, and the seedlings begin to stretch (up to 6 cm in height). If you are sure that the cold will not return, then you can plant cosmea in May. Too fertile soil contributes to the growth of greenery, but remember - the more green mass, the worse the flowering.

Planting steps:

  1. Prepare shallow holes in the garden about 30 cm in diameter and water them. nine0024
  2. Plant seedlings in holes, dig in and water.
  3. Dig in supports for tall varieties.

That's it - when the stems reach 50 cm in height, you need to pinch them.

Care

Watering the flowers once a week is enough, but watering should be plentiful - where 4-5 buckets per bush. After moistening the soil, remove weeds and loosen the soil - this must be done until the flower grows.

In order for the kosmeya to bloom well, apply foliar top dressing (but do not overdo it), spray the leaves with Bud and do not forget to remove fading flowers. nine0003

Has the kosmeya grown a lot? Cut it - flowering will not stop from this, but the bushes will become more neat and beautiful. To collect good seeds, leave large buds on the bush (choose the best ones) until they are fully ripe. To prevent ripened seeds from spilling onto the ground, put gauze bags on flower heads. When the seeds darken, remove them.

Diseases and pests

Kosmeya is not afraid of pests. Only young stems can be chosen by snails and slugs - you will have to collect them manually. nine0003

Beer bowls placed around the site will attract gastropods.

Video

For more details about growing cosmea from seeds, see the video