Cosmos! Best late summer and fall flowers for our area
Very few carefree flowers of summer delight so many people as the simple Cosmos. Their name evokes their appearance in the garden since the word Cosmos comes from the Greek word meaning orderly, beautiful and balanced. Cosmos plants are members of the Asteraceae or Aster and Sunflower plant family and are native to Mexico, Central America and the southern US. With new breeding, the 25 species range from tall and willowy plants to spreading and branched annuals. The flowers are single and double, and come in bright colors from yellows and oranges to pinks and reds plus white. The flower shapes include saucers, bowl, open cup, and tubular. Most of the flowers measure 2-inches across though some of the side branching blooms are smaller. In Mexico, Cosmos were known to be grown by Spanish priests Cosmos atrosanguineus who gave them the name in recognition of their balanced petals. The priests claimed that they exuded cosmic beauty and harmony. Cosmos atrosang...