Are Cosmos Flowers Annual or Perennial?

Cosmos flowers blend well in a wildflower garden.

Cosmos flowers, which are members of the sunflower family, are native to Mexico. Although cosmos flowers, which are annuals, are tolerant of dry conditions, they grow in most U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones.

Time Frame

An annual is a plant that completes its life cycle in a single season. Cosmos flowers germinate, grow leaves, blossom, produce seeds and die off in one summer. The average life span of cosmos flowers is from spring or planting time until the first killing frost in the fall.

Significance

Annual flowers are versatile and work well in an ever-changing flower garden. To switch varieties of cosmos flowers, do not let the cosmos flowers go to seed in the fall. Plant a new variety of cosmos the next spring.

Types

Cosmos sulphureus is available in varieties that produce yellow or orange flowers. Cosmos bipinnatus yields pink, lavender, maroon and white flowers. Both of these annuals are popular with gardeners throughout North America.

References

• University of Vermont Extension: Cosmos
• Purdue Extension: Annual Versus Perennial Flowers
• Oregon State University Extension: Cosmos