Do we know? Of course! The cosmos has become so much part of the native landscape of our gardens and they are so familiar that it is hard to believe that they came to us from Central America.They bloom colorfully, profusely and tirelessly on our flower beds from July until the first frost.
The most widespread species is the bipartite cosmos bipinnatus. It is an annual plant, cultivated and partly gone wild in many parts of the world. It is one of the largest seasonal plants and can easily grow up to 150 cm in height in one summer.
We should not be confused by its delicate habit and charming dill leaves, because the cosmos is very durable and resistant to drought. The flowers are airy and fragile, their diameter can be up to 10 cm.The yellow means are nothing more than baskets consisting of fertile tubular flowers, while the outer whorl consists of long and narrow lingual flowers in pastel colors - from pure white, through all shades of pink, to mild purple.
Kosmosy have been forgotten for a long time. Currently, also thanks to their new varieties, they are returning to favor.It is also due to the increasingly popular trend to create naturalistic, informal gardens and, finally, fashion for flower meadows.
Space station
It is true that the cosmos will do well in any position, but in order to be able to fully enjoy its beauty, you should remember a few recommendations. The most important is a sunny position. Only then do the flowers bloom intensively and are large, and the plant itself thickens and forms stiff, vigorous shoots. Unfortunately, the insets are susceptible to being broken by the wind, so let's choose a position for them, sheltered, for example, by a house wall, a hedge or taller shrubs.
As for the quality of the soil, there are no excessive requirements. It is enough to be light, well-drained. On richer soils, plants develop more vigorously, but bloom less. This is due to greater nitrogen availability, which results in the production of more green mass at the expense of worse flowering.Therefore, in order for the cosmos to captivate with its colors, they should not be fertilized.Likewise, they do not require irrigation. We only water young plants when we notice that they have become wilted and have lost their vigor.
Cultivation of cosmos
Kosmosy are practically "maintenance-free" plants. They do not cause any trouble in reproducing. We sow them for the inspection in April or immediately for a permanent place in May.When the seedlings have grown up to 10 centimeters, they should be cut off, keeping a spacing of about 20-30 centimeters, as they will thicken quickly later.
A great advantage of cosmos is a very short period from sowing to flowering, usually up to 6 weeks. Even at the end of May, they will have time to develop wonderfully. The seedlings emerge very evenly after a few days and grow quickly.
Plants sown once in a given position spread in the fall and reappear in the next season.The cosmos, due to its extraordinary resistance, is not attacked by any diseases or pests, so we don't have to worry about it.It is only sensitive to frost, so the first major fall in temperature in autumn will end its life.
Chocolate-scented cosmos
A large botanical curiosity is the blood-red cosmos Cosmos atrosanguineus. It is a perennial that, like dahlias, forms bulbous roots. It is not frost-resistant, so it must be excavated for the winter and stored in a dry and cool place.It grows up to 50 cm, so it is perfect for growing on balconies and terraces. Equally easy to meet his requirements. The flowers are set on long petioles; the color of dark red. The flowers of the 'Chocamocha' variety have a particularly dark shade.
An additional advantage of this plant is the smell of flowers, which resembles… the smell of chocolate. Hence, we can meet the term of this species as the chocolate cosmos.When growing in containers, pay attention to constant, even soil moisture and too strong sun.
Good to know
The name "cosmos" comes from Greek and means order, ornament. Cosmoses are also known under the name of tubercles.A lot of their varieties with full and two-color flowers have appeared on the market.Kosmosy are perfect for covering less representative places, creating informal hedges, they are also a great background for lower bedding plants.
Kosmosy in naturalistic gardens
Due to their free, light appearance, the cosmos is best suited for naturalistic, unformed gardens with a rural character. They look great in a larger group, also among other annual plants.Higher varieties are ideal for covering uninteresting fences or fences, while the lower ones can be used on the edges of the flowerbed. Their presence gives the character of an intended disorder. Cosmos flowers are also suitable for a vase; they last about 5 days.
Variation - sulfur cosmos
When looking for new varieties and exotic colors, it is worth getting interested in yet less popular species. Cosmos sulphureus with flowers ranging in color from light yellow to orange will be a great complement to the color palette.His requirements are as modest as his cousin. It is also annual and grows up to a maximum of 90 cm, and the flowers are up to 6 cm in diameter.
