Cosmos

You can depend on this cottage-garden favorite to fill your garden with color all season long. The simple, daisylike flowers appear in cheery shades on tall stems that are great for cutting. The lacy foliage makes a great backdrop for shorter plants, as well. Cosmos often self-seeds in the garden, so you may only have to plant it once, though the colors can appear muddy or odd in the reseeders.

Plant cosmos from seed directly in the ground in spring. Or start from established seedlings. This flower doesn't like fertilizing or conditions that are too rich, which causes the foliage to be large and lush but with fewer blooms. It does best with average moisture but will tolerate drought.

Light:

Sun

Zones:

2-11

Plant Type:

Annual

Plant Height:

2-5 feet tall

Plant Width:

1-2 feet wide

Landscape Uses:

Containers,Beds & Borders

Special Features:

Flowers,Attractive Foliage,Cut Flowers,Dried Flowers,Attracts Butterflies,Easy to Grow

Top Varieties

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'Cosmic Orange' cosmos

Cosmos sulphureus 'Cosmic Orange' bears many double orange flowers that are great for cutting. It grows 12 inches tall.
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'Cosmic Yellow' cosmos

Cosmos sulphureus 'Cosmic Yellow' is a compact selection with double yellow flowers over dark green foliage. It grows 12 inches tall.
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Sensation cosmos

Cosmos Sensation Mix bears large, 4-inch-wide flowers in a mix of lavender, pink, red, and white on plants that can reach 5 feet tall.
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'Sonata White' cosmos

Cosmos 'Sonata White' bears pure-white flowers on sturdy, 18-inch-tall plants.
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'Versailles' cosmos

Cosmos Versailles Mix is especially good for cutting because of its strong stems and large flowers in shades of pink, white, and red.
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Yellow cosmos

Cosmos sulphureus bears orange, yellow, or red flowers and finely divided foliage.
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Garden Plans

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Bird-Friendly Garden
Annual Raised-Bed Garden Plan
Garden Plan to Soften a Fence
Drought-Tolerant Garden Plan
Easy Sidewalk Garden Plan
English-Style Front Yard Garden Plan
Tiny Corner Garden Plan
Summer Butterfly Garden Plan

Plant It With

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Celosia

These two cut flowers look great together in the garden and in the vase.

Dusty miller

Set off cosmos' beautiful ferny foliage with the silvery notes in dusty miller leaves.

Salvia

Mix blue salvia's spiky blue flowers with pink or white cosmos for a stunning presentation you count on to look good all season, in any kind of weather.

Propagation

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Seed