Garden cosmos

In natural habitat. Cosmos bipinnatus is considered a half-hardy annual, although plants may reappear via self-sowing for several years. The plant height varies from 2–4 ft (0.61–1.22 m). The cultivated varieties appear in shades of pink and purple as well as white. The branched stem is usually densely to occasionally occupied by fine, split up, rough trichomes, some specimens are completely hairless. The petiole itself is inconspicuous, winged, 10 (rarely to 15) mm long, sometimes the leaves are almost sessile. The partial leaves are linear-filiform to narrow linear with a width of 0.5 to 1 (rarely to 1.7) mm; the tips are pointed, hardened, but not particularly sharp. Its foliage is finely cut into threadlike segments. When flowering, the plant can become top heavy. This problem is alleviated when grown in groups, as the bipinnate leaves interlock, and the colony supports itself.The achenes become blackish, are smooth or short-bristly. Their shape is spindle-like. They are rounded off into a short, 0.5 to 1.7 mm long, but distinctly pronounced rostrum. The inner achenes are up to 18 mm long, their yellowish beaks are 4 to 5 (rarely to 10) mm long. A pappus is missing or it consists only of two to three awn-like, 1 to 3 mm large bristles. FlowersEdit   Cosmos bipinnatus The very conspicuous cup-shaped inflorescences have a diameter of usually 5 to 7 (rarely 8) cm and contain tongue and tubular flowers, which are surrounded by bracts. The outer bracts are usually eight and are ovate to lanceolate-tail-shaped, 7 to 15 mm long, 3 to 5 (rarely 6) mm wide. The inner bracts are ovate-lanceolate and 8 to 12 mm long. They are translucent with many black stripes and a clear edge up to 1 mm wide, sometimes with yellowish or pink pigments, the tip is ciliate. The sprout leaveshave gold-yellow, thread-like tips and protrude between the tubular flowers. The broadened base of these spreader leaves is translucent, provided with a yellow line. During flowering, the plant can sag under its weight. This problem can be solved by grouping the feet together so that the leaves hang together. The mostly eight ray florets are pink to violet or white colored, at the base may show noticeable stains caused by anthocyanin. The tongues are reversely ovate shaped, have a length of usually 20 to 35 (16 to 40) mm and a width of usually 12 to 20 (8 to 25) mm. The tips are almost dull and have three broad, wavy teeth. Below that, they are greatly rejuvenated. In the center of the flower baskets is a large number of tubular flowers (also called disc florets), whose overgrown petals are yellow, turn white in the lower part and reach a length of 5 to 6 mm. The anthers are brownish-black and about 3 mm long, at the tips are short-triangular, translucent attachments with a length of 0.5 to 0.8 mm. The branches of the stylus are short and rather dull, with a length of 0.5 mm.