Cosmos bipinnatus 'Apricot Lemonade'
cosmos
- approx 40 seeds
- £2.24 £2.99
- available to order from autumn
Delivery options
- Seed Packets (only) £2.99
- Position: full sun
- Soil: moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: June to October
- Hardiness: half-hardy annual
This stunning cosmos produces unusual bicolour flowers that shift in tone as they mature, starting as soft apricot with hints of pink-lavender and fading to a pale creamy yellow with a distinctive central ring. This half-hardy annual forms upright, bushy plants up to 60cm (2ft) tall, with fine, ferny foliage and free-flowering branching stems. It blooms reliably from mid-summer into autumn, especially when grown in full sun and well-drained soil.
Deadheading encourages repeat flowering and helps maintain a tidy appearance. Cosmos bipinnatus 'Apricot Lemonade' also makes a great cut flower, adding a soft wash of colour to summer arrangements. Easy to grow and attractive to pollinators, it performs well in borders, containers or as part of a wildflower-style planting scheme.
Deadheading encourages repeat flowering and helps maintain a tidy appearance. Cosmos bipinnatus 'Apricot Lemonade' also makes a great cut flower, adding a soft wash of colour to summer arrangements. Easy to grow and attractive to pollinators, it performs well in borders, containers or as part of a wildflower-style planting scheme.
Pot up and grow on under glass until all risk of frost has passed and they can be planted outside in a well-prepared bed. Pinching out the growing tips will encourage them to become bushier, and taller plants may need supporting with brushwood stems in exposed positions.
In early spring, sow shallowly in seed trays and keep under glass, transplanting them into individual pots when large enough to handle. Harden off before planting outside after the frosts.
Alternatively, sow in-situ in mid to late spring in a well-prepared bed and thin the seedlings out as they grow to allow approximately 30cm (12in) between each.
Alternatively, sow in-situ in mid to late spring in a well-prepared bed and thin the seedlings out as they grow to allow approximately 30cm (12in) between each.