Cosmos Apricotta (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Description

Apricotta Cosmos

Apricotta Cosmos is a beautiful, warm-toned cosmos with flowers that blend soft apricot, peach, blush pink and rose around a golden center.

The color is difficult to describe because the blooms seem to change as they age. Young flowers can open with stronger apricot and peach tones, then soften toward blush and rosy pink as they mature. The result is a garden filled with flowers that look slightly different from one another, even though they are all the same variety.

For Alaska gardeners, cosmos are wonderful summer flowers. They grow quickly once the weather warms, thrive during our long summer days, and continue producing flowers through much of the season.

Apricotta grows on tall, branching plants with the delicate, feathery foliage cosmos are known for. The long stems and unusual coloring also make it an especially beautiful cut flower.

This is a wonderful variety for cottage gardens, pollinator plantings, cut flower gardens, and anyone who prefers softer, more natural colors rather than bright traditional pink cosmos.

Scientific Name: Cosmos bipinnatus
Days to Bloom: Approximately 75–90 days
Plant Type: Annual
Height: Approximately 32–48 inches
Bloom Color: Apricot, peach, blush pink and rose
Sun: Full sun
Uses: Cut flowers, cottage gardens, pollinator gardens, borders and mixed flower beds
Best For: Alaska gardens, northern gardens, cutting gardens and informal flower plantings

Why We Love Apricotta Cosmos

Apricotta has the easy-growing nature of a traditional cosmos but with a completely different color palette.

The combination of peach, apricot and pink works especially well with other soft-colored flowers and gives the garden a more muted, romantic look.

Cosmos also attract pollinators, and regular cutting or deadheading encourages the plants to continue producing flowers.

Planting Instructions

Cosmos may be direct sown outdoors after the danger of frost has passed or started indoors for an earlier bloom.

For Alaska gardens, starting Apricotta indoors approximately 4–6 weeks before the last expected frost can help give plants a head start.

Sow seeds approximately 1/8 inch deep and lightly cover with soil.

Seeds generally germinate within about 3–10 days in warm conditions.

Transplant outdoors after danger of frost has passed and plants have been gradually hardened off.

Space plants approximately 12–18 inches apart.

Growing Instructions

Plant Apricotta Cosmos in full sun and well-drained soil.

Cosmos generally do not need extremely fertile soil. In fact, excessive nitrogen can produce large, leafy plants with fewer flowers.

Water regularly while plants are becoming established. Once established, cosmos tolerate periods of drier soil quite well.

Tall plants may benefit from some support in windy or exposed Alaska gardens.

Cut flowers regularly or remove spent blooms to encourage continued flowering throughout the summer.

For bushier plants with more flowering stems, young cosmos can also be pinched back once they are well established.

A Different Kind of Cosmos

Apricotta takes everything we already love about cosmos and gives it an entirely different look.

It is still easy to grow.

Still covered in flowers.

Still wonderful for pollinators.

But instead of the bright pinks and whites we normally associate with cosmos, Apricotta gives us warm shades of peach, apricot and blush that seem to change every time you walk past the garden.

Sometimes a new flower earns its place simply because it makes you stop and look.

Apricotta is one of those flowers.