[ back ]
Cosmos are orderly and beautiful
(by Gina M. Mahon - May 07, 2008)
 |
|
Photo by Gina M. Mahon
Cosmos, with its disk-shaped flowers and finely cut, fern-like foliage, can tolerate dry conditions.
|
Do you have poor soil in either a sunny or part-shade area of your garden? Do you want something that will bloom from early summer to frost? If you have traveled along the New Jersey Garden State Parkway in the past two or three years then you already know what I am going to describe, Cosmos sulphureus or bipinnatus. We just call them Cosmos.
The name comes from the Greek meaning orderly or beautiful. They are native from to . Sulphureus are the ones with the yellow, red or orange flowers while bipinnatus have pastel, chocolate, even maroon colored flowers.
Seeing it growing down the grassy centers of the parkway you know that this is one flower that will certainly tolerate dry conditions! The flowers are disk-shaped, resembling the daisy flower and are two to three inches across. The foliage of the cosmos is finely cut, rather fern-like.
Because cosmos do quite well in poor soil fertilizing heavily will only cause the foliage to grow and not produce flowers. Since they come is such a wide height range, cosmos can be used in the front, middle or as a background plant.
‘Sunny Gold’ one of the sulphureus is a dwarf variety growing only 12 to 14 inches tall with semi-double flower petals that are a deep yellow and one and a half to two inches wide.
Another, ‘Sunny Red’ grows to the same size but is bright red with single flower petals and a yellow center.
For a mid-size plant try ‘Diablo,’ which is two inches wide, semi-double and burnt orange in color growing anywhere from 18 to 30 inches tall.
If you are looking for something for the back of your garden, then try ‘Early Sensation’ one of the bipinnatus, which can grow three to four feet tall in colors of crimson, rose, pink or white. Planted close together they should hold each other up.
Taller yet? Then plant ‘Radiance,’ which has a bi-color flower of deep rose and crimson growing between four and six feet tall. This one you will need to stake!
For a white cosmos try ‘Purity’ growing between three and four feet tall. There is a variety of cosmos called ‘Sea Shells’ which has flower petals that are fluted looking like they have been rolled up. They can be found in, creamy-white, pink or crimson and they have a yellow center.
Cosmos are an annual plant however seeds may survive a mild winter in our area and surprise you next year. Cosmos make a great cut flower so plant extra in your garden!
Remember – there can never be enough flowers, so enjoy!
[ back ]
