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More Genus
Cosmos (Cosmos)
Attract a host of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to your garden with easy-to-grow cosmos plants. Perhaps appropriately, given their name, they are part of the same family as sunflowers. Their cheerful flowers come in a variety of colors and blossom all summer long. Blooming atop tall stems, these straight shooters will look stellar when planted in the back of the garden, where they are sure to be seen towering over the other plants.
Lifespan
Annual
Plant Type
Herb/Vine
Key Facts About Cosmos
Feedback
Attributes of Cosmos
Plant Height
30 cm to 1.8 m
Spread
60 cm to 90 cm
Flower Size
8 cm to 15 cm
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 38 ℃
Scientific Classification of Cosmos
Distribution of Cosmos
Feedback
Distribution Map of Cosmos
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Cosmos
Feedback
The plant genus 'cosmos ' is known for its simplicity in care and vibrant blooms. Basic Care Needs for these sun-loving beauties involve well-drained fertile soil and full exposure to light. Water should be provided moderately, allowing soil to dry between irrigations, while warmer temperatures enhance their growth. Common Challenges include pests like aphids and diseases like powdery mildew. Drought and frost sensitivity are key environmental considerations. Seasonal Considerations come into play mainly in spring, which is the ideal time for planting and initial fertilization, with diligent deadheading carried out in summer to encourage continuous blooming.
How to Water Cosmos ?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Cosmos ?
How to Propagate Cosmos ?
How to Plant Cosmos ?
Exploring the Cosmos Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Garden cosmos
Garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) is a herbaceous annual plant often cultivated as an ornamental in temperate regions. Due to its self-sowing ability, garden cosmos can grow on the same spot for several years, even though it is an annual. Not surprisingly, this quality also made it an invasive species in certain areas of the world.
Sulfur cosmos
Sulfur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) is an annual flowering plant native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. Though widely used as an ornamental plant, sulfur cosmos is considered an invasive species in the United States. It attracts bees and butterflies, including the notable monarch butterfly.
Wild cosmos
Often the wild cosmos is called in Southeast Asia Ulam Raja, or 'the King's Salad,' since the word ulam refers to a combination of food, medicine, and beauty. That culture relishes the wild cosmos as an herbal salad, though the flavor has been described as similar to crushed marigold leaves.
Black cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 40 to 60 cm tall, with a fleshy tuberous root. The leaves are 7 to 15 cm long, pinnate, with leaflets 2 to 5 cm long. The flowers are produced in a capitulum 3 to 4.5 cm diameter, dark red to maroon-dark brown, with a ring of six to ten (usually eight) broad ray florets and a center of disc florets;
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Pinkie'
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Pinkie' is one of the "Sensation" series of garden cosmos cultivars that differs from the parent plant because of its pink flowers, which are lighter than the darker purplish-red flowers of the parent. The plant has proved so popular with gardeners that it was given the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It blooms over a long period from early summer until fall.
Garden cosmos 'Cupcakes White'
Most garden cosmos plants produce violet flowers, but garden cosmos 'Cupcakes White' has attractive, wide-petaled, white flowers with a bright yellow center. The flowers and petals grow together into a unique bowl-like shape that looks similar to the paper that surrounds a cupcake. This unique plant is a garden favorite that thrives in a sheltered position with full sunlight.
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Yellow'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Yellow' is a cultivar of the Cosmos plant. This cultivar produces bright, sunshine blooms and works well in gardens to attract pollinators as well as in a vase as cut flowers. Named for the vibrancy of its flowers, gardeners like this variety as it is particularly long-blooming.
Garden cosmos 'Cupcakes Blush'
The garden cosmos 'Cupcakes Blush' is a cultivar from the garden cosmos plant, with a unique shape that is all its own. Named for this shape, its blooms extend from outer petals that attach to each other, creating a bowl for them to sit in and giving them the appearance of a cupcake. This flower has a longer than usual blooming period as well.
All Species of Cosmos
Garden cosmos
Garden cosmos
Garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) is a herbaceous annual plant often cultivated as an ornamental in temperate regions. Due to its self-sowing ability, garden cosmos can grow on the same spot for several years, even though it is an annual. Not surprisingly, this quality also made it an invasive species in certain areas of the world.
Sulfur cosmos
Sulfur cosmos
Sulfur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) is an annual flowering plant native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. Though widely used as an ornamental plant, sulfur cosmos is considered an invasive species in the United States. It attracts bees and butterflies, including the notable monarch butterfly.
Wild cosmos
Wild cosmos
Often the wild cosmos is called in Southeast Asia Ulam Raja, or 'the King's Salad,' since the word ulam refers to a combination of food, medicine, and beauty. That culture relishes the wild cosmos as an herbal salad, though the flavor has been described as similar to crushed marigold leaves.
Black cosmos
Black cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 40 to 60 cm tall, with a fleshy tuberous root. The leaves are 7 to 15 cm long, pinnate, with leaflets 2 to 5 cm long. The flowers are produced in a capitulum 3 to 4.5 cm diameter, dark red to maroon-dark brown, with a ring of six to ten (usually eight) broad ray florets and a center of disc florets;
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Pinkie'
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Pinkie'
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Pinkie' is one of the "Sensation" series of garden cosmos cultivars that differs from the parent plant because of its pink flowers, which are lighter than the darker purplish-red flowers of the parent. The plant has proved so popular with gardeners that it was given the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It blooms over a long period from early summer until fall.
Garden cosmos 'Cupcakes White'
Garden cosmos 'Cupcakes White'
Most garden cosmos plants produce violet flowers, but garden cosmos 'Cupcakes White' has attractive, wide-petaled, white flowers with a bright yellow center. The flowers and petals grow together into a unique bowl-like shape that looks similar to the paper that surrounds a cupcake. This unique plant is a garden favorite that thrives in a sheltered position with full sunlight.
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Yellow'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Yellow'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Yellow' is a cultivar of the Cosmos plant. This cultivar produces bright, sunshine blooms and works well in gardens to attract pollinators as well as in a vase as cut flowers. Named for the vibrancy of its flowers, gardeners like this variety as it is particularly long-blooming.
Garden cosmos 'Cupcakes Blush'
Garden cosmos 'Cupcakes Blush'
The garden cosmos 'Cupcakes Blush' is a cultivar from the garden cosmos plant, with a unique shape that is all its own. Named for this shape, its blooms extend from outer petals that attach to each other, creating a bowl for them to sit in and giving them the appearance of a cupcake. This flower has a longer than usual blooming period as well.
Garden cosmos 'Dazzler'
Garden cosmos 'Dazzler'
Garden cosmos 'Dazzler' is a cultivar unique for its striking flowers and blunt-tipped petals. Its name refers to its vibrant flowers, which are carmine red with yellow centers. This plant is a variety of Cosmos bipinnatus 'Dazzler'.
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Snow Puff'
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Snow Puff'
The ruffled white double flowers of this showy garden cosmos cultivar make a marked contrast to the single flowers of the parent garden cosmos plant. The appearance of the elaborate flowers inspires the cultivar's extravagant name. Garden cosmos 'Double Click Snow Puff' also attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Sulfur cosmos 'Bright Lights'
Sulfur cosmos 'Bright Lights'
Add a pop of sunshine to your garden with sulfur cosmos 'Bright Lights'. These stunning flowers are drought-tolerant and attract pollinators, making them a great addition to any ecosystem. Did you know? The genus name 'Cosmos' comes from the Greek word for 'order' and refers to the regular arrangement of petals in the flower heads.
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Red'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Red'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Red' is a Cosmos cultivar that was bred to create specific orange-red petals similar to poppies. The blooms appear in summer and produce twice the amount of flowers than other cosmos. Gardeners often use this plant in their yard to add a pop of color and to attract pollinators.
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Bicolor Rose'
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Bicolor Rose'
The stunning garden cosmos 'Double Click Bicolor Rose' offers double, ruffled blooms in the paired romantic tones of rosy pink and white. It is a cultivar of the Cosmos genus bred by HM Clause and holds a Fleuroselect Award as part of the Double Click Series. The blooms are ideal for gardens and are also very popular for wedding décor.
Garden cosmos 'Purity'
Garden cosmos 'Purity'
Garden cosmos 'Purity' offers stunning luscious silky-white petals honoring the name. It is an old cultivar of the Cosmos genus. This resilient flower grows in sun and partial shade. It makes a great show in garden beds, borders, and as a focal feature on its own. It is very attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Garden cosmos 'Rubenza'
Garden cosmos 'Rubenza'
Garden cosmos 'Rubenza' is named for its striking ruby red flowers which grow to 8 cm, wider than the parent plant's blooms, which are typically lilac-colored. This is a dwarf garden cosmos that grows to 50 cm tall in contrast to the full form of the species, which can reach 1.8 m.
Garden cosmos 'Xanthos'
Garden cosmos 'Xanthos'
Garden cosmos 'Xanthos' has a compact habit and offers single, pale lemon-yellow flowers that fade to white at the edges. Foliage is mid-green and feathery. This is a cultivar of Cosmos bipinnatus named from the Greek word meaning yellow. It has a long blooming season from early summer to fall, making it a popular choice for gardeners.
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Orange'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Orange'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Orange' is a vibrant, sun-loving annual with fiery orange, daisy-like flowers that adorn its ferny, green foliage. Thriving in warm climates, sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Orange' reaches up to 2 feet tall and attracts pollinators, such as butterflies, enhancing garden biodiversity. Its hardy nature allows it to flourish in a variety of soils, with full sun exposure encouraging abundant blooms.
Garden cosmos 'Rubinato'
Garden cosmos 'Rubinato'
Garden cosmos 'Rubinato' is a dwarf cultivar of Garden cosmos, reaching only 61 cm instead of 1.8 m. While most varieties of this species have blooms that are pink, violet, or white, the flowers of this cultivar are a deep ruby red (hence the name). Gardeners love this cultivar for its color and well-branched habit.
Garden cosmos 'Sonata White'
Garden cosmos 'Sonata White'
Garden cosmos 'Sonata White' is an award-winning Garden cosmos cultivar that boasts only pure white flowers, unlike its parent plant that can produce pink and purple flowers as well. The cultivar also differs from its parent by its size—it's a dwarf variety with a more compact growth habit.
Garden cosmos 'Cosimo Purple Red'
Garden cosmos 'Cosimo Purple Red'
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Cosimo Purple Red' is a Garden cosmos that boasts a showy dark purple-red flower that is far more striking than the paler violet color of the parent plant's flowers. This hybrid, popular for its striking flowers, grows to 60 cm, much smaller than the 2.5 m common of the parent plant.
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Picotee'
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Picotee'
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Picotee' is a cultivar of the Cosmos genus and features white flowers with rosy-red edging on the petals. These edges give it the name, 'Picotee,' which is the Italian name of similarly patterned carnations. It is part of the Sensation Series of cultivars which offers taller varieties. This sun-loving plant places a splash of color in any garden from mid-summer to fall. It's also ideal for cutting and displaying in vases.
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Cranberries'
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Cranberries'
The garden cosmos 'Double Click Cranberries' has a deep cranberry coloring with tall, thick stems. It produces some fully double blooms and some semidouble blooms. From the Garden cosmos plant, the deep coloring of this popular cultivar makes it a prized addition to flower arrangements.
Southwestern cosmos
Southwestern cosmos
Southwestern cosmos is a charming wildflower with a delicate, airy appearance, featuring small, daisy-like flowers with yellow centers. Its fine-textured leaves and slender stems sway gracefully in native prairies and arid landscapes, hinting at its adaptability to dry conditions. The plant's vivid flush of summer blooms attract pollinators, making it not only a feast for the eyes but also a contributor to local ecosystems.
Cosmos crithmifolius
Cosmos crithmifolius
With feathery leaves reminiscent of dill, cosmos crithmifolius is a striking annual. Its delicate, fennel-like foliage and abundant daisy-like blooms, in shades of white to pink, adorn slender stems reaching up to a meter tall. Thriving in well-drained soil and full sun, cosmos crithmifolius's airy form sways gracefully, a natural attractant for butterflies, enhancing biodiversity in gardens and wild spaces alike.
Cosmos carvifolius
Cosmos carvifolius
Cosmos carvifolius is known for its delicate fern-like foliage reminiscent of carrot leaves, which provides an airy backdrop to its vibrant, daisy-like flowers. Typically found in open, sunny environments, cosmos carvifolius thrives with ample light that enhances its floral display. Its slender stems and composite flower heads attract pollinators, contributing to the ecological balance of its habitat.
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Cosmos
Cosmos
Attract a host of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to your garden with easy-to-grow cosmos plants. Perhaps appropriately, given their name, they are part of the same family as sunflowers. Their cheerful flowers come in a variety of colors and blossom all summer long. Blooming atop tall stems, these straight shooters will look stellar when planted in the back of the garden, where they are sure to be seen towering over the other plants.
Lifespan
Annual
Plant Type
Herb/Vine
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Key Facts About Cosmos
Feedback
Attributes of Cosmos
Plant Height
30 cm to 1.8 m
Spread
60 cm to 90 cm
Flower Size
8 cm to 15 cm
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 38 ℃
Scientific Classification of Cosmos
Distribution of Cosmos
Feedback
Distribution Map of Cosmos
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Cosmos
Feedback
The plant genus 'cosmos ' is known for its simplicity in care and vibrant blooms. Basic Care Needs for these sun-loving beauties involve well-drained fertile soil and full exposure to light. Water should be provided moderately, allowing soil to dry between irrigations, while warmer temperatures enhance their growth. Common Challenges include pests like aphids and diseases like powdery mildew. Drought and frost sensitivity are key environmental considerations. Seasonal Considerations come into play mainly in spring, which is the ideal time for planting and initial fertilization, with diligent deadheading carried out in summer to encourage continuous blooming.
How to Water Cosmos ?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Cosmos ?
How to Propagate Cosmos ?
How to Plant Cosmos ?
Exploring the Cosmos Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Garden cosmos
Garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) is a herbaceous annual plant often cultivated as an ornamental in temperate regions. Due to its self-sowing ability, garden cosmos can grow on the same spot for several years, even though it is an annual. Not surprisingly, this quality also made it an invasive species in certain areas of the world.
Sulfur cosmos
Sulfur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) is an annual flowering plant native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. Though widely used as an ornamental plant, sulfur cosmos is considered an invasive species in the United States. It attracts bees and butterflies, including the notable monarch butterfly.
Wild cosmos
Often the wild cosmos is called in Southeast Asia Ulam Raja, or 'the King's Salad,' since the word ulam refers to a combination of food, medicine, and beauty. That culture relishes the wild cosmos as an herbal salad, though the flavor has been described as similar to crushed marigold leaves.
Black cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 40 to 60 cm tall, with a fleshy tuberous root. The leaves are 7 to 15 cm long, pinnate, with leaflets 2 to 5 cm long. The flowers are produced in a capitulum 3 to 4.5 cm diameter, dark red to maroon-dark brown, with a ring of six to ten (usually eight) broad ray florets and a center of disc florets;
Show More Species
All Species of Cosmos
Garden cosmos
Sulfur cosmos
Wild cosmos
Black cosmos
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Pinkie'
Garden cosmos 'Cupcakes White'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Yellow'
Garden cosmos 'Cupcakes Blush'
Garden cosmos 'Dazzler'
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Snow Puff'
Sulfur cosmos 'Bright Lights'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Red'
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Bicolor Rose'
Garden cosmos 'Purity'
Garden cosmos 'Rubenza'
Garden cosmos 'Xanthos'
Sulfur cosmos 'Cosmic Orange'
Garden cosmos 'Rubinato'
Garden cosmos 'Sonata White'
Garden cosmos 'Cosimo Purple Red'
Garden cosmos 'Sensation Picotee'
Garden cosmos 'Double Click Cranberries'
Southwestern cosmos
Cosmos crithmifolius
Cosmos carvifolius
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
