Mandarin Cosmos
Cosmos sulphureus 'Mandarin'
Height: 12 inches
Spacing: 10 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Description:
Compact and upright mounded, this variety is a great way to add bright pops of color to borders, beds or cut flower arrangements; deep orange double blooms sit atop of deep green, ferny foliage; easy to grow, requiring little to no maintenance
Ornamental Features
Mandarin Cosmos features showy orange daisy flowers at the ends of the stems from early summer to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its ferny leaves remain green in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Mandarin Cosmos is an herbaceous annual with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and may require the occasional pruning to look its best. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Mandarin Cosmos is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Planting & Growing
Mandarin Cosmos will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Mandarin Cosmos is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.