Total Pageviews

Wednesday, 11 October 2023

Octobers Birth Month Flowers continued - Cosmos

Following on from my recent post about the Marigold being an October birth flower, the Cosmos is the other birth flower for October.



The Cosmos
Cosmos bloom in a number of colours, from orange, red, and yellow to pink, purple, and white.

Native to Mexico, the annual flowers are daisy-like and sit atop long, thin stems that can grow up to 6 feet tall. The colourful petals radiate from a yellow centre.

A member of the daisy family (Asteraceae), cosmos make a great addition to flower gardens.

Cosmos Meanings and Symbolism
  • The genus name comes from the Greek word kosmos, meaning order and harmony of the universe.
  • The flowers have long symbolized order, harmony, and balance. Others believe it is a sign of peace, love, joy, and innocence.
  • A red cosmos represents love and passion; pink means a mother’s love; yellow symbolizes friendship; white is a sign of faithfulness and devotion.
  • It was once thought that cosmos could attract fairies to gardens.
  • There was an element of luck associated with growing cosmos, as they were thought to repel unwanted insects from destroying other plants.
  • The plants have many medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Over the years, they have been used to fight infections, treat skin issues, improve circulation, and more.
The Cosmos in History
The cosmos was originally brought to Spain from Mexico in the 16th century, then plants were introduced to England in the 18th century. By the mid-19th century, they were common in gardens in the United States, too.

Spanish priests in Mexico grew cosmos in their mission gardens. They gave it this name because of the orderly arrangement of the petals.

It is a popular gift, including for 2nd wedding anniversaries, where its inclusion in bouquets is common.

Cosmos in the Garden
An annual, cosmos is easy to grow and will often re-seed itself. The plant can grow in hot, dry conditions and provides blooms from early summer to the first frost.

Cosmos do best with at least a half-day of direct sunlight. Some varieties will need staking as they grow tall during the summer months.

Overwatering can lead to fewer flowers, so keep a watchful eye on the water you provide your plants.

Deadhead spent flowers to prolong the bloom. Cut plants back once flowers are filled with dried seed to encourage re-blooming. The original plant will bloom again in a month or so, and the seeds that fall to the ground will germinate in the hot soil and lead to more plants and a thicker cluster.

The above image and words from article here

I hope you found this an interesting read, even if you do not celebrate a birthday this month.


and with October in mind have you tried this recipe for
Leek and Chorizo Frittata,
Leeks are a vegetable in season this month,
see details/recipe here

Dear reader, you will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan

26 comments:

Christine said...

I love cosmos.

Tom said...

...cosmos are beautiful.

Granny Marigold said...


Overwatering can result in less flowers...Hmmm. That would account for my big sturdy Cosmos plants with hardly a bloom on them. And here I thought I was being good to them.

peppylady (Dora) said...

I have an Aunt who really like Cosmo.

J.P. Alexander said...

Linda flor . Te mando un beso.

Margaret D said...

Interesting and a rather nice flower is the Cosmos.

Elephant's Child said...



Cosmos are pretty things aren't they?

Fun60 said...

Lots of interesting facts about the cosmos plant. It is amazing how many of our common plants have medicinal uses.

NatureFootstep said...

wow, a flower called Cosmos. Beautufl!

Valerie-Jael said...

Beautiful flowers and yummy food, what more do we need?! Valerie

Jeanie said...

Thanks for the info on the care/cutting back/deadheading these fave flowers of mine. I never have done that and they're fine but imagine if they were better! I didn't plant any new ones this year and have promised that next year I'm planing a lot of them. They're so cheerful!

Iris Flavia said...

Interesting facts. My Brother´s Birthday is coming up, but reckon flowers are not really a gift for him ;-)

Conniecrafter said...

We use to have these in our garden too, I have never seen red ones though, and I didn't know they were used for medicine purposes.

Norma2 said...

Jan, do not dispose of the root of the leeks, cut them 2 or 3 cm. from it. The plants in soil and in a few months you will have beautiful leeks.

Laura. M said...

Preciosas flores. Muchas tienen grandes poderes medicinales. No he probado tu receta, si hago tortilla de puerros y está muy buena :))
Buen miércoles.
Un abrazo.

bread&salt said...

Flower of cosmos (especially its color) looks great. It is interesting and beautiful.

Lisabella Russo said...

Cosmos are lovely, thank you for the information.

Giorgio said...

A flower I didn't know. Nice post!

HappyK said...

These are such pretty flowers.

roentare said...

Cosmos can be used in cooking too? I never knew that.

Lowcarb team member said...

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

J.P. Alexander said...
Linda flor . Te mando un beso

Cute flower . I send you a kiss

Laura. M said...
Preciosas flores. Muchas tienen grandes poderes medicinales. No he probado tu receta, si hago tortilla de puerros y está muy buena :))
Buen miércoles.
Un abrazo.

Lovely flowers. Many have great medicinal powers. I have not tried your recipe, if I make leek omelette and it is very good :))
Good Wednesday.
A hug.

Lowcarb team member said...

roentare said...
Cosmos can be used in cooking too? I never knew that

Reply:
Yes, some cosmos are edible, however not all varieties are.
More details in this article here
https://farmhouseandblooms.com/are-cosmos-edible/

All the best Jan

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

The tallest cosmos I grew was over 5 feet tall. They are usually only 3 to 4 feet tall. I leave the thistle like seeds because some birds like them. The orange cosmos are like magic in a garden, especially when the sun hits them.

Good informatio. I didn't know how popular they are.

baili said...

cosmos are named perfectly :)

thanks for delightful sharing friend !

more blessings

Teresa said...

Unas flores preciosas que me encantan.Besos.

William Kendall said...

Good information!