Cosmos Xanthos

Brand new, Fleuro-Select Gold Medal winner Cosmos Bipinnatus Xanthos is an exciting early flowering dwarf variety producing unique soft yellow flowers on a compact plant. Xanthos adds a completely new colour to the compact Cosmos range. This highly acclaimed, eye-catching variety blooms from June to September and is ideally suited for container growing on a sunny patio or terrace.

Prized for their vibrant daisy like flowers, ferny foliage and drought tolerant, easy-care nature; sun-loving Cosmos is a firm favourite with amateur and professional gardeners alike.

From traditional cottage garden beds and borders to informal wild flower meadows this fast growing, butterfly-attracting beauty produces a spectacular display, especially when drift or group planted. Dwarf Cosmos adds dazzling colour to pots and patio containers while taller varieties make outstanding cut flowers.

How to Grow Cosmos from Seed

Cosmos, sometimes known as the Mexican aster, is perennial in its native home but it’s not hardy enough for our cooler climate and so in Britain it is grown as an annual. Cosmos is easy to grow from seed, performs well in containers or bedding schemes and comes in a dazzling array of colours, heights and flower types making it a firm favourite of both amateur and professional gardeners.

Drift or group planting produces an especially spectacular display and allows the plants to support one another too. Taller varieties do benefit from a little support, try growing Cosmos between perennials, alternatively growing cages or canes are ideal.

Sow Cosmos seed in trays or growing cells during early spring and cover with about 5mm of compost. The seeds are long and thin, so they can be easily handled.

Keep the compost moist without over-wetting and position seed tray in a warm and well lit position, such as a greenhouse or warm windowsill. Germination normally takes 14 – 21 days at 15 – 20C

When the seedlings are about 4 inches tall pot them on into individual 3 inch pots to grow on until the risk of frost has past, then harden off before planting out in your garden. Plant Cosmos in full sun and water well, then add a mulch to help conserve moisture.

Stake and tie Cosmos plants if necessary during the growing season, water regularly and dead-head to prolong the flowering season.