Cosmos are strictly herbaceous, half-hardy annuals that bring a soft, feathery texture to any planting scheme. They are exceptionally fast growers, completing their entire lifecycle in a single season by rapidly pushing up delicate, highly divided green leaves topped with wide, papery, open-faced blooms. Due to their bright, flat flowers act as perfect landing pads with easily accessible central pollen, they are incredibly pollinator-friendly and will have your baskets vibrating with solitary bees and hoverflies. To force a Cosmos to bloom heavily, you actually need to treat it poorly by planting it in sandy, lower-quality compost rather than a rich, highly fertilised mix. They demand full, unfiltered sunlight and thrive on a bit of neglect, actively preferring their soil to dry out significantly before receiving a deep, harsh soaking. For the thickest, most spectacular display, ensure you pinch out the growing tips early on to encourage lateral branching, otherwise, they will simply stretch upwards and become hopelessly spindly. Please Note: When purchasing plants, please consider that each live item is unique and may therefore differ from the images shown, which are for illustration purposes only. The plant will be supplied in a growers pot. Depending on season, some plants may be pruned back to encourage growth and deciduous plants may arrive without leaves.
