This plant was declared invasive by the United States Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council in 1996.[9] The flowers of all Cosmos attract birds and butterflies, including the monarch butterfly.
This species of Cosmos is considered a half-hardyannual, although plants may re-appear via self-sowing for several years. Its foliage is opposite and pinnately divided. The plant height varies from 1–7 feet (30–210 cm). The original and its cultivars appear in shades of yellow, orange, and red. It is especially popular in Korea and Japan, where it is often seen in mass plantings along roadsides, following an initiative pursued by the Korean-Japanese botanist Woo Jang-choon.
'Klondyke Mix', 'Polidor' consists of a variety of colors in shades from yellow to orange and scarlet
'Ladybird Dwarf Red', 'Ladybird Dwarf Gold', 'Ladybird Dwarf Orange', and 'Ladybird Dwarf Lemon' are shorter than the species at 40 cm. Their flowering is very early. The flowers have vibrant colors in hues of yellow, orange and scarlet. Another cultivar is named 'Bright Eyes'.
'The Diablo' reaches 75 cm with flowers of 5 cm intense orange red.
'The Polidor' reaches 75 cm and bears semi-double flowers in shades of golden yellow, orange and red.
'The Sunny Red' and 'Sunny Gold' have single flowers on stocky plants at 35 cm.
'The Sunset' reaches 90 cm. It bears double or semi-double flowers in shades of red or scarlet orange
Germination takes between 7 and 21 days at the optimal temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit; flowering begins between 50 and 60 days after germination
It prefers a soil pH between 6.0 and 8.5, reflecting its native habitat in the alkaline regions of Central America
Flowering is best in full sun, although partial shade is tolerated
The plant is tolerant to drought after germination, and is seldom subject to insect or disease damage; this vigor is attested by its status as a pest in some areas of the United States
^Jørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden (1–2): i–viii, 1–1744.
^Nash, D. L. 1976. Tribe V, Heliantheae. En: Nash, D.L. & Williams, L.O. (Eds), Flora of Guatemal a - Part XII. Fieldiana, Botany 24(12): 181–361, 503–570
^Dodson, C.H., A.H. Gentry & F.M. Valverde Badillo. 1985. La Flora de Jauneche: Los Ríos, Ecuador 1–512. Banco Central del Ecuador, Quito
^Strother, J. L. 1999. Compositae–Heliantheae s. l. 5: 1–232. In D.E. Breedlove (ed.) Flora of Chiapas. California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
^Hokche, O., P. E. Berry & O. Huber. (eds.) 2008. Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela 1–859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela, Caracas
^TK Lim , Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 7, Flowers , Springer Science & Business Media,November 8, 2013 (ISBN9789400773950)
^ D. Buti , D. Domenici , C. Grazia and J. Ostapkowicz , " Further Insight into Mesoamerican Paint Technology: Unveiling the Color Palette of the Pre-Columbian Codex Fejérváry-Mayer by Means of Non-Invasive Analysis ", Archaeometry, March 6, 2018 (ISSN 1475-4754)
^ Mohammad Saleem et al., " Chemical characterization and hepatoprotective potential of Cosmos sulphureus Cav. and Cosmos bipinnatus Cav. " , Journal Natural Product Research / Formerly Natural Product Letters ,December 2017
^Nina Osokina , Kateryna Kostetska , Helena Gerasymchuk and Valeriia Voziian , " DEVELOPING OF RECIPES AND ESTIMATION OF RAW MATERIAL FOR PRODUCTION OF WHEAT BREAD " , EUREKA: Life Sciences , vol. 0, n o 4,July 31, 2017, p. 26-34
