Cosmos

12 years ago

I grew cosmos from seed last year and planted it in my front yard. During the course of Spring/Summer, I "had" to drive a friend from Irving to Denton and back, with a stop by my house to pick up a pie for an event I was going to after I dropped him off. Jeff had a rare form of MS and had gotten to the point that he couldn't drive; but he wanted to go to this play and I volunteered to drive him there. That day, I was double booked and had to stop by my house to pick up a pie to take to the second "event". Jeff's comment as I drove down the street was "I LOVE that yard, it's so different and interesting" and all I could say was "Thank you, that's my yard". Turns out, Jeff loved cosmos and recognized it in my yard. Jeff left this world on October 1st. I would like to continue planting cosmos in my yard in Jeff's honor. The seed packets that I have call for "full sun". The plants I saw at Calloway's today said "part sun". I really only had one plant survive the summer last year, but it bloomed until we had a freeze. My question is, what sun exposure does cosmos really want in Texas? I'm OK with moving them closer to the house or to a more shaded location in the backyard, but I would like to continue growing them in Jeff's honor. Where's the best place to put cosmos in North Texas?

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Comments (7)

melvalena
12 years ago
I've never grown them, yet. The post office in Flower Mound has them every year. Full sun and not really looked after at all.
cynthianovak
12 years ago
are they they orange ones? They are happy in full scorching sun and do durprisingly well in about 4 hours a day. I have not had luck with the tall mixed colored ones...only orange.
c
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bossjim1
12 years ago
In my experience, the little orange and yellow cosmos thrive in full sun. The tall pink, purple, and white ones require some relief from the late afternoon sun, and like more water.
Jim
lucas_tx_gw
12 years ago
This is interesting. I bought some of the pink/white ones last year because I saw them and they were so gorgeous and I thought they were supposed to like full sun. I put them in a big container in the full sun and they croaked immediately. I actually wondered if maybe I had overwatered them but I think now maybe they just weren't acclimated to the brutal heat last summer. So this year I bought seeds and have some started but after reading this thread I think I might have to reconsider where I was going to put them.

Ag_95, can you post some pics of your interesting yard?

Teri
tx_ag_95
Original Author
12 years ago
I'll have to remember to take pictures later this year...right now it's a little sparse and bare after having everything cut back (lots of salvia and lantana), and it's still a work in progress. Most of the grass had died, so I took it out and went the xeriscape route. Everyone else has the typical grass lawn and foundation shrubs.
maden_theshade
12 years ago
I have always grown the dwarf varieties either orange or yellow. They can take full sun and I've also had them where they get some afternoon shade. I just love this plant! I'm sorry you have lost your friend. I hope you have good luck getting your cosmos started so his memory will live on.
annnorthtexas
12 years ago
If you let the cosmos go to seed, you should have lots of seedlings this year. I had yellow and orange reseed for years until the year the mulch was too thick. Then I did the multi color and they've been reliable repeats. I had them in the same spot but the flower bed has gotten shadier over time.

It's hard to go wrong with morning sun and afternoon shade.