Not Ordinary Cosmos: The Eye-Catching Variety That Hummingbirds Just Love

Bright and lively cosmos is a colorful, self-seeding fall flower that will regrow by itself in the spring. Cosmos is in the same family as daisies, and its blooms are excellent sources of nectar for hungry hummingbirds. If you are looking to break away from the same ordinary cosmos cultivars, perhaps you should check out a bold cultivar with vibrant orange petals that hummingbirds adore. The Cosmic Orange (Cosmos sulphureus) variety boasts adaptability along with abundant orange blooms. It was an All-America Selections award winner in 2000, and is a dwarf option that reaches about 12 to 22 inches in height.  

Cosmic Orange is a type of Cosmos sulphureus (other common names include Klondike cosmos, sulphur cosmos, and orange cosmos) that is fast-growing and requires little active maintenance. It is also known to be highly resistant to pests and disease. You can start them from seed outside after the last frost, or indoors about six weeks before. 

This variety is a good selection for a hummingbird garden as orange flowers attract them well. Since it's a fairly vigorous plant, you can expect plenty of flowering to entice hummingbirds even during the hot, sunny months of summer. The long-lasting blooms of these semi-double flowers provide food for hummingbirds who visit in the spring, summer, and fall.

No matter what variety of cosmos you grow in your garden, you'll want to learn how to care for cosmos flowers so that they thrive. Cosmic Orange cosmos generally follow similar growing recommendations to ordinary cosmos. They enjoy full sun in the garden and can tolerate lackluster soil conditions without complaint. With this type of cosmos, it is not recommended that you deadhead the blooms to encourage more. You can generally plant Cosmic Orange cosmos and not worry too much about them afterwards, but to keep them blooming, you should water the plants frequently, especially during drought.

As you grow cosmos to attract friendly hummingbirds, also consider planting beautiful flowers that will fill your yard with songbirds and hummingbirds alike. For example, zinnias grow well near cosmos, have complementary colors to the Cosmic Orange variety, and will please both hummingbirds and songbirds. Cosmos and zinnias can be mass planted to maximize their impact on hummingbirds and other pollinators. If you want to use Cosmic Orange on its own in your garden, add it to a container on a patio or use it as a cheerful border to a perennial bed.