Cosmos Brightness Mixed Seeds - Cosmos sulphureus

Cosmos sulphureus 'Brightness Mixed' is colourful mixture that features semi-double blooms in bright shades of red, yellow and orange. It flowers all season long on dwarf, compact plants. Ideal for borders and containers! Easy to grow and effortlessly romantic, Cosmos thrive in light soil in a sunny position.

Cosmos sulphureus, sometimes called Sulphur Cosmos or Orange Cosmos, is a tender annual plant native to Mexico and the northern regions of South America. It belongs to the Asteraceae family alongside Dahlias and daisies. Like its pink-flowering cousin C. bipinnatus, it features characteristic inflorescences known as capitulums. Its foliage on the other hand is coarser, with broader mid-green leaves. 'Brightness Mixed' is a collection of dwarf cultivars that quickly forms compact, bushy clumps, 40 cm tall and 30 cm wide. Flowering starts in June-July, 60 to 90 days after sowing, and lasts until October (or the first frosts). The semi-double flower heads measure about 4 cm across and are made up crimped petals arranged around a golden central disc. Colours include scarlet red, lemon yellow and warm orange. Cosmos are a magnet to foraging insects and butterflies, including the monarch butterfly. The mid green foliage is delicately scented. Flowers are followed by blackish, spiky seed heads (achenes).

Cosmos is an easy-going, rewarding annual that can single handedly fill a sunny slope, border or flower bed. It is perfect to animate romantic or cottage style gardens. Easy to grow even by beginners, this adorable, naïve plant produces strong, weather-resistant stems. It combines well with perennial sage, Verbena bonariensis, chrysanthemums or ornamentals grasses such as Stipa tenuifolia. It is particularly useful in new gardens mixed with poppies, love-in-a-mist or cornflowers. Its pretty blooms have a long vase life and are ideal for cutting.