Candy Stripe Cosmos Bipinnatus Flower 100 Seeds
Candystripe Cosmos seeds produce beautiful flowers with white petals and rosy edges, making them a popular choice for gardens. They are easy to grow, drought-tolerant, and attract pollinators, thriving in poor soil conditions.
These charming white flowers are adorned with rosy pink stripes, making them a unique type of Cosmos. This easy-to-cultivate annual will enhance any flower garden effortlessly and draw in various butterflies. They're also stunning as cut flowers.
Due to their Mexican roots, these vibrant annuals thrive in high heat and drought conditions with natural beauty and strength. Spanish conquistadors, in their quest for gold, stumbled upon these flowers during their travels in Mexico. Mission gardens frequently featured these blooms, which priests named "cosmos," a Greek term meaning a harmonious whole, due to their evenly spaced petals. Cosmos flowers arrived in England with Spanish ambassadors in the late 18th century and made their way to the United States in the next century.
Latin Name: Cosmos bipinnatus
Species Origin: Mexico
Type: Garden Flowers
Life Cycle: Annual
USDA Zones: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
US Regions: California, Mountain, Arid/Desert, Plains/Texas, Midwest, Northern, Northeast, Southeast
Seeds per Ounce: 4,000
Stratification: No Stratification
Germination Ease: No Stratification
Sunlight: Full Sun
Height: 48 Inches
Color: White, Pink
Bloom Season: Blooms Early Summer, Blooms Late Summer, Blooms Early Fall
Uses: Cut Flowers
Sowing: In early spring or after the last frost, sprinkle the cosmos candystripe seeds on top of loose soil. Keep the soil slightly moist until they germinate, which should happen within 10-20 days at temperatures between 65-75 degrees F. If the soil is cooler, germination might take longer. You don’t need to thin the seedlings, but you can transplant them if they seem too crowded. Since these cosmos candystripe seeds sprout quickly in warm soil, you can plant them anytime before midsummer for another round of flowers. To start seeds indoors, plant them on the surface of a flat 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost; keep the soil consistently moist and at a temperature of 70-75 degrees F until they germinate. Once there’s no risk of frost, move them outside.
Growing: Water these plants regularly until they start to bloom; after that, they become quite drought-resistant. This cosmos candystripe flower shouldn’t be over-watered and thrives in dry conditions and heat; if there’s a long dry spell, give the plants a deep watering now and then. If blooming starts to slow down, trim the plant back to 12" for new growth; you’ll see more flowers in about 4 weeks. Taller plants might need some support or staking. If you let them self-seed, this flower will produce a new batch of blooms next year. It also attracts birds, butterflies, and bees.
Harvesting: Cosmos blossoms are beautiful, long-lasting cut flowers. Cut long stems of blossoms that have just opened, and remove any leaves that will be submerged in water. These flowers typically last 7-10 days in a vase. Cosmos blossoms also make lovely dried flowers.
Seed Saving: Let the flowers drop their petals and form spiky seed heads. When they’re ripe, the heads will turn brown or dark brown and can be easily broken apart to reveal the narrow, sharp seeds. Take the ripe seed heads and lay them out to dry away from direct sunlight. Once they’re completely dry, break apart the heads to separate the seeds from the husk. Store the cleaned cosmos candystripe seeds in a cool, dry place.
