Cosmos atrosanguineus Black Magic - Chocolate Cosmos

This Cosmos atrosanguineus 'Black Magic' is a variety of chocolate cosmos that stands out for its upright habit, floribundity, larger flowers from red to black, and a pronounced chocolate fragrance. Moreover, this selection can produce some fertile seeds, unlike the wild plant and other varieties. This peculiar cosmos, often considered an annual, is a perennial plant with its tuber, not very hardy but resistant to heat and water-efficient. It can be grown like a Dahlia. It will thrive in light, humus-rich, moist, dry soils, in full sun or partial shade.

The 'Black Magic' chocolate cosmos was recently selected in New Zealand. Its wild ancestor is native to Mexican pine forests and is extinct. These plants belong to the Aster family. This cosmos has the peculiarity of not producing viable seeds and is mainly propagated by tuber division. It, therefore, resembles a Dahlia more than a cosmos. The 'Black Magic' variety develops from a fleshy tuber that is quite sensitive to frost in moist soil and quickly forms a clump of about 60 cm (24in) in height and 40 cm (16in) in width from spring onwards. The foliage, divided into lobes, somewhat resembles that of peonies. It consists of glossy green leaves slightly tinged with dull violet. The flowering stems appear from June to October, provided that faded flowers are regularly removed. The flowers are heads of almost 5 cm (2in) in diameter. They have ligulate florets in a very dark red to blackish shade, arranged on the periphery, and a heart of equally dark tubular florets. These heads are fragrant, especially in hot weather and in the evening. This variety produces some viable seeds that can be sown under cover. In open ground, it can withstand a few degrees of frost (about -8°C (17.6°F)) occasionally, and if the soil is well-drained, kept almost dry under a thick mulch.

The Cosmos atrosanguineus 'Black Magic' is sublime when paired with grey and silver foliage and stunning with lady's mantle. It looks beautiful when planted alongside mugworts, lamb's ears, or sea cineraria in borders or pots. Its flowers' warm tone brightens pastel colours like the pink of annual poppies, the blue of perennial flax, or even the azure of blue thistle. It stands out well against the acid green foliage of bipinnate cosmos, fennel, or Alchemilla mollis.