cosmos bipinnatus

Botanical Name: Cosmos bipinnatus
Family: Asteraceae (Daisy family)

What We're Growing:
We grow cosmos for their delicate, daisy-like blooms and airy foliage. Their vibrant colors add charm and movement to the garden — drawing in bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects all season long.

How We Use It:
While cosmos are not commonly used in culinary preparations, they play an important supportive role in our garden ecosystem. Their petals are edible and can be used sparingly as garnishes in salads or floral teas for a touch of beauty and whimsy.

Why It’s Good for You:
Cosmos flowers aren’t just ornamental — their petals contain plant pigments and flavonoids with antioxidant properties. In some traditional herbal practices, cosmos has been used to calm the nerves and soothe minor skin irritations when infused into oils or teas.

More importantly, cosmos support wellness by strengthening the garden as a whole. By attracting pollinators and pest-controlling insects like lacewings and hoverflies, they help create a thriving, biodiverse environment — which directly benefits every edible plant around them.

In the Garden:
Cosmos are heat-tolerant, low-maintenance annuals that bloom from late spring until frost. They thrive in poor to average soil, and the more you cut their flowers, the more they bloom. Once established, they self-seed generously for future seasons.

Fun Fact:
The name Cosmos comes from the Greek word for “harmony” or “order” — named by Spanish missionaries in Mexico who admired the symmetry of the plant’s petals.