Cosmea Black - a unique perennial plant native to Latin America. An unusually beautiful blood-red hat exudes the aroma of chocolate and vanilla. This property has led to the fact that in nature the flowers are completely destroyed. Today, Chocolate Cosmos (as they also say about culture) is the fruit of the efforts of breeders, with their help the view was restored, but you can’t see it in the fields anymore, only on flowerbeds and in botanical gardens, as well as on the windowsills of flower gardeners.
Cosmea Chocolate - description
The birthplace of the plant is Mexico, where it grew until the time of destruction. Now cultivation is carried out all over the world, but in Russia this exotic plant is extremely rare.
A voluminous bush with stems and leaves of a saturated green shade in height reaches from 0.4 to 1.5 m. On thin straight shoots, one flower is located, with a diameter of up to 5 cm.
In a warm climate, the plant is perennial, but in the harsh Russian winter, it is not cold-resistant enough. When grown in a balcony pot from the moment of the first frosts, they are brought into the greenhouse or on the windowsill, then the root will not die and in the spring a young shoot will appear again.
The flowering period is from the beginning of summer until the first cold weather. Today, about 15 varieties are known.
Features of growing Cosmea Black
Chocolate cosmos belongs to unpretentious plants, nevertheless there are some features of planting associated with the climatic conditions of Russia.
The soil must be selected slightly acidic with good drainage, the flower does not tolerate excessive moisture. For seedlings, fertile compounds enriched with nutrients are suitable.
Cosmea is photophilous, prefers sunny areas protected from drafts.
Growing seedlings
Sowing is carried out directly in the container in which the flower will be on an ongoing basis, it is more convenient. If you plan to transfer to the open ground, it is better to plant the seeds in separate plastic cups.
Preparation of seedlings begins in March and is done as follows:
- The tank is filled with a universal light soil mixture with slightly acid indicators, small holes are made for the seeds, it is enough to press the ground 1 cm with your finger. Humidify the planting site from the spray gun.
- Seeds in the amount of 2-3 pieces are placed in the holes and sprinkled with earth without crushing. Re-moisturize.
- Crops are covered with a transparent material (glass, film) and set in a warm place with a temperature of + 18 ... +20 ° С. It is important to maintain a high level of illumination. Be sure to ventilate the container periodically removing the coating, regularly moisten the soil.
- Shoots appear within a week. As soon as shoots appear, the coating is removed, the air temperature can be reduced by several degrees.
- Crops are thinned out in boxes, observing a distance between the shoots of 10 cm.
Outdoor landing
By the time the Black Cosmea is transferred to the flowerbed, there must be confidence that there will be no more frosts. In the southern regions this happens in May, in the northern strip - not earlier than June. Usually by this period the height of seedlings is 6 cm.
For normal development, the plant needs a lot of light. A flower bed is chosen in a sunny place with protection from drafts and cold winds.
The landing process is as follows:
- In a pre-prepared area, holes are made at a distance of 30 cm from each other, with a depth of 30 cm for low-growing varieties, 35 for high.
- Pour water into the holes and wait for the complete absorption of moisture.
- Sprouts are transferred to the ground with an earthen lump, drip and watered again. For tall varieties, a support is inserted into the root base, to which the stems will subsequently be tied.
- When the Chocolate Cosmos grows to 0.5 m from the ground, they pinch the upper shoots to form a beautiful bush.
Seedling flowers bloom by mid-summer, and when sown in open ground, in August.
Chocolate Cosmei Watering
Humidification of the plant is not often done, but in large quantities. 4 liters of warm water are poured under each bush, avoiding contact with leaves and flowers.
Watering is carried out after sunset to prevent burns of the delicate parts of the plant.
Chocolate Cosmey Dressing
Chocolate Cosmey is fertilized from the moment of thinning of crops to the appearance of the first buds. Nutrition is carried out by a mineral complex of a general spectrum of action, maintaining intervals of 10-14 days.
Chocolate Cosmei Pests and Diseases
The culture is highly immune. It is able to withstand almost all diseases. Also pests are not afraid of her.
At the sprout stage, the bush may be disturbed by snails. In order to prevent slugs from eating young shoots, a universal remedy for protection is poured on the ground at the base of the roots or collected manually.
The unique aromatic plant is also useful for other garden crops. The smell of flowers attracts lacewing. Insect everywhere larvae. During the ripening period, they feed on the eggs of moths, aphids, ticks, and insects. Therefore, you can often see bushes with beautiful red flowers in the beds with cabbage, cucumbers, and other vegetables.
Mr. Summer resident recommends: Cosmea Chocolate in the landscape
The flower is used not only to protect garden crops, but also to decorate flower beds and balcony compositions. Undemanding plants and its pleasant aroma allow you to decorate unsightly areas, create a romantic atmosphere in the gazebos.
Experienced gardeners note that in fertile soil with good top dressing, flowers are large and smell more intense.
Today, cosmea is not an endangered species, but its seeds are still expensive. Therefore, they also propagate by dividing root crops.
In landscape design, the bush is used to create volumetric compositions, it is planted along the fences, forming a hedge. Low-growing varieties look good in the foreground, against a background of trees or stones. Delicate openwork foliage and bright flowers enliven the landscape and set the mood.
Combine cosmea with such common plantations as marigolds, chamomile, phlox, echinacea.
