Appearance

Growth form

Typical plants are about 2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m) tall and 1–3 ft (0.3–0.9 m) wide, though some forms can reach 6 ft (1.8 m) and dwarf cultivars stay near 12–18 in (30–46 cm).

Leaves

Opposite leaves are deeply divided into broader, pointed segments rather than the threadlike segments of common cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus).

Flowers

The 1–2.5 in (2.5–6.4 cm) flower heads are yellow, orange, or reddish-orange. Garden selections may have single, semidouble, or double blooms.

Flowering time

In North Carolina, it flowers in summer and can continue until the first frost.

Fruit

Long, narrow seeds form in the dried flower head.

Look-alikes

Lanceleaf coreopsisCoreopsis lanceolata

Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) is a perennial with long, narrow leaves that may have a few lobes and yellow petal-like flowers with strongly notched tips. Yellow Cosmos is an annual with more finely divided leaves and often orange flowers.

Why they get mixed up · Both can grow in sunny beds or meadows and carry yellow daisy-shaped flowers.

Garden cosmosCosmos bipinnatus

Garden cosmos has very fine, threadlike leaf segments and usually pink, white, or magenta flowers. Yellow Cosmos has broader pointed leaf segments and yellow, orange, or reddish flowers.

Why they get mixed up · They are annuals in the same genus with similar airy branching and flower shape.

	Leaves	Flowers
Yellow Cosmos	Broadly divided	Yellow to orange
Lanceleaf coreopsis	Narrow, few lobes	Usually yellow
Garden cosmos	Threadlike segments	Often pink or white

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• flower beds and borders
• meadows and naturalized gardens
• sunny disturbed ground

Range

It is native from Mexico into Central America and is grown as an ornamental annual in the United States.

Preferred conditions

Give it at least half a day of direct sun and porous, well-drained soil. It tolerates dry or poor soil better than constantly wet ground.

Growing it

Propagation

Sow seed outdoors after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed to about 65°F (18°C). Dropped seed may sprout and form new patches.

Name and classification

Varieties and forms

The ‘Cosmic’ series has compact 12–18 in (30–46 cm) plants with bright semidouble or double flowers. Other selections range from yellow through orange and scarlet-red.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

NENot Evaluated·Not yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories

• The species name sulphureus refers to sulfur-yellow, one of its characteristic flower colors.