Chocolate Cosmos

Chocolate Cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus) is the flower people lean in to smell. This Mexican perennial grows 50cm to 1m tall and wide, with ferny foliage and simple deep red-brown flowers that really do smell of chocolate. Plant it in a pot or a cottage border, close to where you walk or sit.

Why you'll love it

• It smells of chocolate. The scent is where the common name comes from, and it is a rare trait in a garden flower.
• Deep, velvety colour. The flowers are a dark blood red-brown, which looks richer beside pale or silvery plants.
• A longer flowering season. Removing spent flowers regularly encourages more blooms, so the display lasts longer.
• Light and airy. Ferny foliage and simple single flowers keep the plant delicate, which suits cottage planting.
• Fine in a pot. It does well in containers, which puts the scent at nose height and lets you move it under cover in cold weather.

Where it works best

Cottage and mixed flower borders. Plant 50cm apart in drifts of three or more, near a path where the scent will reach you. The slender stems weave through other perennials without crowding them.

Pots and containers. A large pot by the door or beside a seat keeps the flowers close. Because it can be moved, it also makes winter protection easy in colder gardens.

Growing Chocolate Cosmos in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. A light overnight frost is fine, but in cold climates protect it from longer or harder spells: lift the plant and store it under cover for winter, or add extra mulch in autumn. It dies back in winter and reshoots in spring, so expect bare ground for a while.

Soil. Free-draining, moist soil rich in organic matter gives the best result, though it tolerates most soil types and planting conditions. Dig compost through the bed before planting.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly until the plant is established, usually around 12 weeks. After that keep the soil evenly moist through summer rather than letting it bake dry.

Pruning. Remove spent flowers regularly to encourage a longer flowering season. Cut the dead stems back once the plant dies down in winter.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Chocolate Cosmos as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives as a small plant rather than one in flower, so plan on a few weeks of growth before the first blooms in the warmer months. Pot it up or plant it out into mulched, free-draining soil and keep the water up for its first 12 weeks. Plants travel upright in their tubes and settle quickly once watered in.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• More flowering plants for Australian gardens
• Fragrant plants for the garden
• Plants that thrive in pots
• How to get flowers for months

Common questions

Does it really smell of chocolate?

Yes. The scent is the reason for the common name, so plant it where you will pass it often, in a pot by a door or beside a seat.

Will it survive winter?

It comes through a light overnight frost. Where winters are colder, mulch heavily in autumn or lift the plant and store it under cover until spring.

How do I keep it flowering?

Take off spent flowers regularly and keep the plant mulched and watered. That encourages a longer flowering season.