For those who are looking for flowers with vibrant colors, the cosmos flower should be on your top list. The flowers generally bloom during October, bringing a beautiful look and fragile petals. Of course, the flower has its own story in every culture.
The flower is praised for its healing benefits, as many traditional healers use this flower to cure certain health issues. From upset tummy to skin irritation, the cosmos flower has a place in the hearts of the people who grew up with it.
The flower that comes in many colors is native to Mexico. The flower that looks like a daisy now become a great addition to gardens and event flower arrangements. The flower is a member of the Aster Family and is named after Spain's conquest of Mexico in the 1500s. Then the conqueror brought back the cosmos flowers to Spain, where this flower became a hit.
An interesting fact about this beautiful flower is that the wife of England's ambassador to Spain took hundreds of cosmos seeds to the UK in the late 18th century. After that, the flower also became popular in North America, especially in the United States.
Back then, in Mexico, many Spanish priests grew cosmos in the garden and then named it Cosmos, which is derived from the Greek word that means harmony and ordered universe.
Of course, the journey of this flower is not all smooth. Back in the UK, where this flower was started to be cultivated, the flower was very difficult to grow due to the colder environment. It took centuries to make this flower adapt to the colder areas, which resulted brighter colors and beautiful petals.
As it is native to Mexico, of course, the flower will thrive well when it is around a warm area. It is an ideal environment for the flower to grow well. With its sensitivity to frost and cold, if you want to cultivate the flower, it is better to do it during the warmer season.
Besides, the flower always loves the full sun or at least 6-8 hours per day. This flower tolerates high humidity, but you have to make sure to provide good air circulation to prevent fungal issues.
The shape of the flower is daisy-like with an asymmetrical look. It has diverse colors from red, orange, white, yellow, and also pink. Typically, most cosmos flowers have light and vibrant colors, except the Cosmos astrosanguineus.
When it comes to smell, this flower has a very subtle smell with a chocolate and vanilla fragrance. Some flowers come with open-faced petals, while others have unique cultivars like Sea Shells.
Like many other flowers that have a strong relationship with certain cultures, the cosmos flowers have a unique meaning too.
In terms of symbolism, the flower has different meaning to some colors, for example:
Meanwhile, for a cultural context, in Mexico alone, this flower serves as a bridge in the spiritual realms. The flower is believed to attract positive energy and is often used in festivals and traditions.
With those huge varieties, now growing cosmos flowers is simpler, and you can pick certain species that suit the environment you are living in. Just make sure you always mimic the natural habitat and provide a friendly environment for the flower to grow.
In planting the cosmos flower, provide regular soil. You don't need a special flower, as this can thrive in many situations. However, make sure to provide a soil that is not too rich because it will encourage foliage. Typically, the soil needed to plant the cosmos flower is at a pH of 7.0-7.5
For the climate, the cosmos flower can tolerate warm temperatures and dry weather as well. If you want to plant this, you need to direct-sow seeds outdoors once there is no frost. Or, you can plant this flower indoors around 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost date in your area. After that, move into 5-inch pots once you see them growing around 3-4 inches tall. This young plant can be planted outdoors.
Note to remember: if you are growing the cosmos flower from seeds, you will expect the flower to bloom after 7 weeks. After that, you will see your flower continue blooming until the first frost.
Make sure to water the plants regularly if the soil is unusually dry, but don't overwater the flowers or fertilize too much because it will produce fewer flowers.
Harvesting the plant is the fun part. Remember to also leave some flowers on the plant to help it self-seed. After you see the flower start blooming, you can cut the flower any time you like. However, the best time to pick the flower is when you see the petals have opened. To see the bloom longer, you can cut the blossoms when the blossom opens for the first time. Typically, you will see the flower bloom for more than a week. After that, just put them in the vase.
That is all about the cosmos flower with its unique vibrant color that you can enjoy. This flower has fragile petals. However, the beauty is strong and so beautiful to be arranged in a bouquet. Some of you might use this flower for certain cultural rituals if you like, by planting the flowers in front of your garden.
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Our flowers come from the best local farmers, and we always make sure each stem and bloom is of good quality. You can customize the order as you like to add a personal touch. For more information, just contact our team!
