I had a tall mix of yellow and orange cosmos. After saving seed for a few years, I noticed they tended to mostly be yellow, the dominant gene, I guess. I don't like the yellow, so began tearing the yellows out. Hope you have better luck...and better colors.

I live in Virginia just south of DC and planted Cosmos seeds this year. In one spot only one plant came up, (maybe the birds or squirrels got the rest) but it is the most beautiful orange flower with a brownish red center that looks like a marigold on Viagra, 5 feet tall with branches spread out like a bush, that must be 4 feet across. The bumble bees and Monarch butterflies love it. I am saving the seeds for next year.

Keeganzpapa, can you take picture of your plant, so we can see it?

What an experience just to learn how to import a picture!! Fence is 6 feet tall. This is one plant.

Saving Tall Cosmos Seeds · More Info

The more I look at the plant, and compare it to a group of cosmos growing on the other side of the butternut squash, the more I think maybe it is not Cosmos. It grew looking like a huge marigold, but was planted with a handful of seeds that came out of the same seed pack as the Cosmos. These were not seeds I had saved. The bumble bees and carpenter bees can't get enough of it.

If you could post a closer picture we could probably id your plant. Could it be a Rudbeckia?

keeganzapa, I have the same plant and bought it as cosmos seeds. Mine are even taller, and make a dancing sea of blooms above the garden. They self-sow readily, but I too would like to harvest the seed so I can share. Would also love to have the same plant in pink or purple if it exists!

Cosmos bipinnatus is the name of the pink and white ones (cosmos sulphureus tend to the oranges and yellows) - there is considerable variation in size and colour though, ranging from the dwarf 'Sonata' range to the much taller white 'Purity'. There are also seed strains with deeper coloured centres (and smaller flowers such as 'sweet dreams' and those curious quilled petals 'Pied Piper'. Easy to grow from seed and once you have done so, it will reseed (in a temperate climate) year by year.

Is it possible to get pink only, without the white? I have assiduously eliminated all white from one of my gardens, but would like to have a purple/pink to throw in with the oranges and blues..

Yep, look for a named seed variety such as 'Versailles Rose' or the bicoloured 'Sweet Dreams'.