Bicolor Cosmos
Where to buy seeds
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Candystripe Cosmos is a stunning annual flower that brings effortless charm to any garden, thriving in hardiness zones 2 through 11 and reaching 36 to 72 inches tall. This heirloom, open-pollinated cultivar of Cosmos bipinnatus produces striking bicolored blooms in just 60 to 90 days from seed, making it one of the easiest flowers to grow from start to finish. Its drought tolerance and trouble-free nature mean minimal fussing, while its exceptional cutting qualities and butterfly-attracting power make it equally valuable in bouquets and garden displays. Plant it in full sun with spacing of 12 inches apart, and you'll have a prolific bloomer that asks for very little in return.
Full Sun
—
2-11
72in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
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Candystripe lives up to its name with jewel-toned petals striped in contrasting colors that seem almost too vivid to be real. The nearly pest and disease-free nature of this cosmos makes it a rare gift for gardeners who want reliable performance without spraying or worrying; mass plantings create a breathtaking display that draws butterflies like a magnet. Best of all, the flowers hold up beautifully in arrangements, especially when cut first thing in the morning as the blooms are just opening.
Candystripe Cosmos is primarily grown as a cut flower and garden display plant. The blooms excel in fresh arrangements and bouquets, particularly when harvested in early morning when the flowers have just opened. In the garden, it serves as a pollinator magnet, attracting butterflies and other beneficial insects while providing long-lasting color from midsummer through frost.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date. Sow at a soil temperature of 60°F, keeping seeds barely covered. Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off once soil temperatures reach at least 60°F.
Transplant seedlings outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date, or 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date once soil temperature is reliably at least 60°F. Space plants 12 inches apart with 18 inches between rows.
Direct sow seeds outdoors 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, when soil temperature is at least 60°F. Barely cover seeds with soil.
For cut flowers, select stems with blooms that have just opened and harvest first thing in the morning when the stems are most turgid. Cutting flowers regularly will encourage the plant to produce more blooms throughout the season.
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“Candystripe Cosmos is an heirloom variety that has been preserved and grown for generations by home gardeners seeking easy color with minimal intervention. As an open-pollinated cultivar, seed savers have maintained its distinctive striped character through careful selection, allowing gardeners today to save their own seed and continue the lineage forward. This variety belongs to the broader cosmos family, which has been cultivated in gardens for well over a century and remains prized for its combination of beauty and resilience.”