Garden Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Cosmos
Species:
Cosmos bipinnatus

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Annual
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
3-4 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Bloom Months:
jun, oct
Bloom Colors:
pink, purple, white

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Palau, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Ontario, Quebec

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Brick-lined borer (Papaipema marginidens), Burdock Borer (Papaipema cataphracta), Yellow-striped armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus), Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
well-drained, sandy or loamy soil
pH:
6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
native to scrub and meadow areas