Cosmos

Cosmos is an old fashioned annual cottage garden plant that is getting some new attention today on Southern Gardening. 

Cosmos are fairly easy to grow like many of our flowering annuals.  Cosmos don’t require any special care and are perfect for the beginning to master gardener.  These plants have a lot going for them. 

A constant supply of flowers through the season, are butterfly attractors, like it hot and dry, and grow in poor soil.  What more could you ask for?  Cosmos can almost reach perennial status due to their ability to re-seed. 

There is a wide variation in plant height, with dwarf types at one foot to tall giants at 6 feet.  There are cosmos to fit any occasion. 

There are two common types of cosmos.  Sulphur cosmos flowers typically come in the warm colors of red, orange, and yellow.  And are generally less than two feet tall. 

Tall cosmos as the names implies are taller than the sulphurs.  Most are between three and four feet tall.  Colors are more pastel in nature.  Rose, pink, wine, and white are the most common.  The flowers of both species are up to 3 inch in diameter.  Single and double flowers . 

Because of their size planting in the middle of the bed is best.  Deadheading is necessary to clean up the faded blooms.  In midsummer if you prune back to 15 to 18 inches the cosmos will rebound for a fall encore performance. 

If grown by themselves they may start to lean so staking may be required.  Or simply harvest the leaning stems for cut flower use.  The flowers will only last for a few days, but there will always be more waiting for their turn in the vase.  I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.