Chocolate Cosmos

A perennial cosmos from Mexico, atrosanguineus Chocomocha has large daisy-like dusky brown-red flowers blooming in late summer. The flowers are velvety in appearance, with their deep rich colour offering strong contrast against all the green. Chocolate cosmos is popular for its fragrance of vanilla which enhances as the day warms up. Excellent grown in pots and a wonderful cut flower. Treat these plants like Dahlias, lifting tubers out of the ground before severe frosts start. Flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies.

Site: Tolerant of inland exposure
Soil: Most moist well-drained
Position: Full sun
Season of Interest: Dark crimson flowers in late Summer
Hardiness: Slightly tender, mulch in autumn or lift tubers before frosts in colder areas (below -5)
Height: 3ft (1m) Spread: 1.5ft (0.45m)