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Asteraceae
Mexican Aster
Cosmos bipinnatus
Order within beauty and cosmic harmony.
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Genus
- Cosmos
- Native to
- Mexico, Central America
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- annual
- Height
- 60–180 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- average, well-drained; thrives in poor soil
- Water
- low to moderate
- Hardiness
- 2–11 (annual)
- Lifespan
- annual
Did you know
- Spanish priests in Mexico grew cosmos in mission gardens and named them from the Greek word for 'ordered universe' — impressed by their evenly spaced petals.
- Cosmos are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed, often blooming just 60 days after sowing.
- The finely cut, feathery foliage is almost as ornamental as the flowers themselves.
- Cosmos bipinnatus can self-sow so prolifically that a single planting can naturalize an entire meadow.
- Butterflies prefer cosmos over many cultivated flowers, making them a top pick for pollinator gardens.
Color meanings
Pink
tender love and gentle beauty
White
purity and peace
Magenta
joy and exuberance