Plant
Garden Cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatusAlso known as Mexican Aster, Cosmea
Garden cosmos brightens open meadows and cultivated borders with large, daisy-like blossoms set against delicate, ferny foliage. Native to sunny scrublands and fields across Mexico and the southwestern United States, this prolific annual blooms vigorously from midsummer until the first hard frost. Its nectar-rich flower heads serve as vital feeding stations for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies throughout the growing season.
FloweringPollinator MagnetAnnual
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic
Predators
- Aphids
- Slugs
- Spider mites
ThreatsHabitat destruction in native range, herbicides, severe frost
HabitatsMeadows, grasslands, roadsides, disturbed areas, gardens
Life span1 year
Classification
- OrderAsterales
- FamilyAsteraceae
- GenusCosmos
- SpeciesCosmos bipinnatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Gardening: Deadhead spent blossoms regularly to encourage continuous blooming until autumn.
- Observation: Look closely at central disc florets to spot native bees collecting pollen.
- Planting: Sow seeds in full sun and well-draining soil for optimal growth.
Ecological Counterpart (c) Thayne Tuason, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Pollinator Visitor Sid Mosdell from New Zealand / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist · cc-by
Aster Family Kin Dr Photographer / PUBLIC DOMAIN · public domain
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.