5 Reasons to Grow Cosmos

I love cosmos! Here are my top five reasons to grow it.

1. It’s easy to plant. All you have to do is take a handful of seeds and toss them out in a sunny location in the spring. By late summer, you’ll have bushes of color! Note: Because cosmos have shallow roots systems, it’s best to plant them away from extra windy areas.

2.  The birds love cosmos. Goldfinches and sparrows eat the seeds, hummingbirds sip nectar from the flowers, and songbirds flock to the branches for cover.

 3. Cosmos is a butterfly magnet. If you plant cosmos, you are guaranteed butterflies! I love looking out my window to watch the dozens of swallowtails floating above the sea of orange flowers.

eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on cosmos

 4. Cosmos is hardy. This is a blessing and a curse. Cosmos tends to be “bossy” and take up a lot of space in the garden, so make sure you’re aware of that before you throw caution (or seeds) to the wind.

 5. Cosmos come in many colors: red, orange, yellow, light pink, fuchsia, and white. Take your pick or grow them all! The hummingbirds especially love pink and fuchsia.

If you are not already growing cosmos, consider adding it to your flower garden next year. If you have any questions or feedback, please post in the comments below.

eastern tiger swallowtails (Papilio glaucus) in my cosmos meadow