Garden cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus Cav.
Cosmos bipinnatus (garden cosmos), also called Mexican aster, is an aster-family annual herb 0.5–2 m tall; its finely divided leaves and pink-purple-white flower heads with yellow discs make it a popular garden ornamental.
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Cosmos bipinnatus, also called garden cosmos or Mexican aster, is an **annual** herb of the aster family (Asteraceae), genus Cosmos, 0.5–2 m tall with **slender, branching stems**. Its **leaves are opposite** and **twice pinnately divided** into fine, thread-like segments. The **flower heads** are solitary at the tips, 5–8 cm across, with **ray florets** in pink, purple, crimson or white and a **yellow disc** of tubular florets. The **fruit is a small dark-brown achene**.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/13/2026
Cosmos bipinnatus is native to **Mexico and Central America** and has been introduced as an **ornamental** worldwide for its showy, long-lasting flowers and easy cultivation. The flowers attract **bees and butterflies** and are used as cut flowers and in flower beds; the plant also **naturalises** along roadsides and open ground in many regions. It has not been assessed by the IUCN and is therefore listed as Not Evaluated (NE).
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/13/2026
Life cycle
From seed to productGermination & seedling
The seeds (achenes) germinate quickly on warm, moist soil; seedlings develop into slender branched stems.
Growth (stem & leaves)
The plant grows tall, producing many **finely divided, thread-like compound leaves**.
Flowering
**Flower heads** open with pink/purple/white rays around a **yellow disc**; flowering is profuse and long, attracting bees and butterflies.
Fruiting & dispersal
After flowering, small brown **achenes** form; the seeds fall to the ground or are dispersed by wind and water.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Mexico & Central America (native)30%
- North America (cultivated/wild)25%
- Europe (cultivated)20%
- Asia (cultivated)15%
- Elsewhere (cultivated)10%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- FlavonoidsFlower pigments; antioxidant25%
- CarotenoidsYellow colour of the disc florets20%
- Essential oil (terpenes)Light floral aroma20%
- AnthocyaninsPink and purple tones of the rays15%
- FibrePresent in stems and leaves10%
- MineralsPotassium, calcium, magnesium10%
Uses
- Landscaping: grown in **flower beds**, borders and home gardens for its showy, long-lasting blooms.
- Cut flowers: the **blooms** are long-lasting and suited to vases and decoration.
- Ecology: attracts **bees, butterflies and beneficial insects** to the garden.
- Education & seed: easy from seed, often used in school gardens and to study plant life cycles.
- Caution: the plant can **naturalise** and spread on open ground.
Properties
- Morphology
- Slender branched stems; **finely divided compound leaves**
- Flowers
- Large, colourful heads with a bright yellow disc
- Ecology
- Sun-loving, easy to grow, long-flowering, insect-attracting
- Ornamental
- Popular for beds and cut flowers
Habitat & conservation
Cosmos bipinnatus prefers **full sun**, a warm climate and loose, well-drained soil; it is easily grown and tolerates poor ground. Native to Mexico and Central America, it is now widely planted in gardens and parks and also grows wild along roadsides, open ground and field edges in many temperate and subtropical regions.
Conservation
Cosmos bipinnatus is not threatened; it is a widely grown ornamental, sometimes regarded as a naturalised plant. It has not been assessed by the IUCN and is therefore listed as Not Evaluated (NE). Family Asteraceae, genus Cosmos. Value: ornamental, nectar and beneficial-insect plant.
References
- 1POWO — Cosmos bipinnatus Cav. — Plants of the World Online (Kew), 2026
- 2GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Cosmos bipinnatus Cav. (key 3098912) — GBIF, 2026
- 3Wikipedia EN — Cosmos bipinnatus — Wikipedia EN, 2026
- 4Wikipedia VI — Sao nhái — Wikipedia VI, 2026
- 5Wikipedia ZH — 大波斯菊 — Wikipedia ZH, 2026
- 6Ảnh: 824-Cosmos bipinnatus; Asterales Cosmos; Cosmo flower — Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons, 2026
- 7Ảnh: 2010 Alive; Cosmo Time; Akenes cosmos — Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons, 2026