Types of cosmos - everything that real flower connoisseurs need to know
Many novice gardeners think that kosmeya are ordinary simple chamomile-shaped flowers growing on huge bushes. In general, this is correct, but breeders have bred many more species of cosmos. Some of them are compact and even miniature in size. Others have beautiful lush inflorescences, and still others look more like dahlias. Let's find out what kind of cosmos are.
Varieties of cosme in height
Depending on how tall the bush grows, there are three groups of cosmos:
- tall - grows up to 150 cm in height;
- undersized - plant height is about 50 cm;
- dwarf - from 30 to 45 cm in height.
Simple garden hairs are usually tall. Bushes require a garter, otherwise they lie on the ground and spread over it.
Types of cosmos in the shape of inflorescences
From how the petals are located in the flower and what shape they have, four types of cosmos are distinguished:
- simple with one row of petals (for example, the Sensation variety);
- semi-double with petals in two rows (Orange kosmeya variety);
- terry with multi-tiered petals (varieties Polydor foxes, Red Pile, Golden Valley);
- anemone, in which the petals are twisted and arranged in several rows.
Popular types and varieties of cosme
Plant breeding is not very numerous and has 25 varieties. However, not everyone grows in our gardens. Most often you can find these types of cosmos:
- Double-feathery. The main advantage of the plant is its size. The bushes grow over 100 cm in height. In addition, the inflorescences themselves are also large, 10 to 12 cm in diameter. They are simple in shape, with one row of petals. The flower got its name for its delicate leaves, cut into two parts. Cosmos bloom begins in early summer and lasts until early autumn. The color is varied. Double-feathered cosme varieties include Sonata, Dazzler, Purity varieties.
- Sulfur yellow. Differs in wider leaves, which already have three lobes. Inflorescences are two times smaller, moreover, semi-double. The color is exclusively yellow or orange. The height of the bush depends on the variety and can be either 150 or 50 cm. The kosmeya blooms later, in July, but longer - until October. Popular varieties of sulfur-yellow cosme are Grest Lemon, Bilbo.
- Chocolate. First of all, this is a variety of perennial cosme, demanding for heat. The garden can only grow in warm areas. In our climate, it is grown either as a pot culture or as garden annual... The characteristic difference is the inflorescences. They are dark red, almost black, and smell like chocolate. The most popular variety of chocolate cosme is Antiquity.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the Cosme Shell. This is a variety of double-feathery cosme, characterized by the structure of the buds. Their petals are twisted into a tube and really look like a shell. The color of the buds is white, purple or pink. The Shell blooms from mid-summer to autumn.