Fauna
Flower

Chocolate Cosmos

Cosmos atrosanguineus

Also known as Black Cosmos

Chocolate cosmos produces velvety, maroon to deep brownish-red flower heads that release an unmistakable vanilla and cocoa fragrance on warm afternoons. Anchored by fleshy tuberous roots, this herbaceous perennial thrives on sunny rocky slopes and clearings in central Mexican pine-oak forests. While historical horticulture lore long claimed it was extinct in the wild, robust populations persist across its native mountainous range.

FragrantPerennialFlowering
Chocolate Cosmos reference
(c) Juan Cruzado Cortés, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Juan Cruzado Cortés · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic
Predators
  • Garden Slugs
  • Snails
  • Aphids
ThreatsHabitat alteration and localized land clearance
HabitatsHighland pine-oak woodlands, mixed scrub, and rocky hillsides
Life span5–10 years via perennial tubers
Classification
  1. OrderAsterales
  2. FamilyAsteraceae
  3. GenusCosmos
  4. SpeciesCosmos atrosanguineus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Scent timing: Sniff blooms on warm, sunny afternoons when direct heat best vaporizes the sweet aromatic oils.
  • Pollinator viewing: Watch silently around midday as small solitary bees and hoverflies visit the central florets.
  • Cultivation care: Overwinter dormant tubers indoors in frost-prone regions to mimic its mild native highlands.
Related species
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