Cosmos bipinnatus
Mexican aster, Tall cosmos
- Height × spread
- 1.5m × 0.45m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Mild winter to -5C (RHS H3)
- Flowers
- Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
Big bowl shaped flowers that come in shades of white, pink or red, and are generally known through their cultivars. The species are very beautiful, flowering all summer provided you deadhead. The blooms are rounded, sometimes with slightly separated petals, darker at the petal base and with a heart full of yellow stamens. This carries its flowers on branching stems which are also clad in much divided rather needle like leaves making a net of filigree foliage beneath the blooms. Give it a sunny spot in soil that has some fertility which is well drained. The plant, generally grown as an annual, reaches up to 1.5m (5ft) in height with a 45cm (2ft 6in) spread.
- Flower colour
- Pink, Red, White
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Column
- Height
- 1.5m
- Spread
- 0.45m
- Season of interest
- Summer, Autumn
- Flowers in
- Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Seaside garden, Mediterranean garden, Gravel garden, Cottage garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Well drained soil
- Hardiness
- Mild winter to -5C (RHS H3)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Bedding plant, Bee attraction
- Deer
- May be browsed by deer
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water during dry periods
For plants in the ground, when there has been little or no rain for a period of 7-10 days and the soil is dry, give it a deep watering and repeat weekly until there is a downpour of rain. Check plants in pots more frequently, especially in hot weather.
Summer
Summer - early · Outdoors
Apply slow release fertiliser
Apply a slow release fertiliser which is spread around the root area of the plants soon after they have come into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Planting & general
Planting
Deadhead blooms during flowering season
Remove flowers as they turn brown and fade. Snip the stem just below the bloom. This will keep the plant tidy and encourage more flowers.
The removal of spent flowers encourages the plant to produce fresh ones, rather than spend its energy on the development of seeds.
Compost · Planting
Multi-purpose compost
Use a good quality peat-free multi-purpose compost when growing in pots and containers.
Found in
More Cosmos
Cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus Chocamocha = 'Thomocha'
Chocolate cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus
Chocolate cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus Black Forest = 'Raymos'
Chocolate cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus Cherry Chocolate = 'Vg001'
Chocolate cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus
Mexican aster, Tall cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Apricotta'
Mexican aster
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Candy Stripe'
Mexican aster, Tall cosmos