Cosmos bipinnatus Lemonade - Garden Cosmos seeds

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Lemonade' is an annual variety of Cosmos with silky petals in a delightful pastel, very soft buttery yellow, featuring a white central ring around a golden heart. The most beautiful of yellow-flowered cosmos! The flowers are borne on sturdy, upright stems in a compact, bushy clump with green, shiny, deeply-cut leaves. It is medium-sized and blooms profusely in borders and beds as well as in containers. This cosmos is easy to sow and grow in light soil in a sunny spot.

Cosmos bipinnatus is an annual species belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is native to Mexico and the southernmost regions of the United States. It is not very hardy, related to Dahlias and displays a characteristic flower head and particularly fine foliage reminiscent of fennel. 'Lemonade' forms an upright, well-branched clump, 60 cm (24in) high and 45 cm (18in) wide. Flowering starts in July, about 85 days after sowing, and lasts until early autumn. The heads measure 6 to 7 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter and are composed of petals with a serrated edge, in a delightful, soft and bright pastel yellow. The centre of the flower consists of a golden disk, surrounded by a rather thin, white ring. Cosmos flowers attract many butterflies. The foliage is finely divided into thread-like segments, barely 0.5 to 1 mm (0in) wide, and has a slight pleasant fragrance. After flowering, the plant produces blackish, spindle-shaped, bristly seeds. The seeds can self-sow, but the resulting plants may not necessarily resemble their parent.

Cosmos 'Lemonade', like other cosmos, quickly and beautifully fills large areas with its light and cheerful flowers. This annual plant is perfect in a country-style, naturalistic or romantic garden. It is rewarding and easy to grow and it blends well with other summer and autumn flowers such as Dahlias, Rudbeckia, lavenders, chrysanthemums, and Verbena bonariensis. Its flowers have excellent vase life.