Cosmos sulphureus – Yellow Cosmos (پیلا کاسماس)

Cosmos sulphureus – Yellow Cosmos (پیلا کاسماس)

– Cheerful, daisy-like golden flowers, – Blooms profusely through summer heat, – Beloved by bees and butterflies

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🌿 Botanical Name: Cosmos sulphureus (KOZ-mos sul-FYUR-ee-us)
🌿 Family: Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee)
🧊 Hardiness Zone (USA): 2–11 (Grows as annual in Lahore)
📏 Height: 1.5 to 6 feet tall depending on variety and care

🍃 Foliage:
Fine, deep green pinnate leaves with feathery texture
Light and airy in appearance, forming a bushy upright plant

🌸 Flowering Period (Lahore/Punjab):
From late March through October
Bright golden-yellow, orange, or tangerine blooms with 8 petals, usually single but sometimes semi-double

Flowers stay open in heat and sun, dropping seed as they fade

🌼 Companion Plants:

• Zinnia elegans – for a bright border

• Tithonia rotundifolia – taller and bold

• Gomphrena globosa – good contrast with round blooms

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🏡 Garden Usage:
Perfect for wildflower gardens, borders, sunny beds, pollinator gardens, and cut flower arrangements
Naturalized clumps look stunning in open lawns and park spaces

🍈 Fruition:
Produces plenty of long, narrow seeds that self-sow readily
Collect when dry if saving for next season

🌱 Soil: Grows best in average, well-drained soil
Too much fertility may reduce flower count and increase lankiness

⚖️ pH Value: 6.0–7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

💧 Water:
Low to moderate needs.
Avoid overwatering; thrives with occasional deep watering

🌡️ Temperature: Highly suitable for Lahore, tolerating full sun and temperatures over 40°C
Frost-sensitive; grows as annual here

☀️ Location Preference (sun or shade): Full sun for best flowering. Tolerates part shade but may get leggy

🌾 Propagation:
By seeds, directly sown into garden soil after last frost
Germinates in 5–7 days in warm temperatures

🐛 Pesticides:
Rarely affected by pests
Occasional aphids or leaf miners—treat with neem or simply hose off

🌻 Fertilizers: No regular feeding needed, If desired, a low-nitrogen bloom booster once per month is sufficient

🦋 Attractiveness to Wildlife:

A magnet for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies
Contributes to urban pollinator support

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💡 Lahore Growth Note:
Cosmos sulphureus is a perfect summer annual for Lahore’s hot, dry months. It’s low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and self-sows if allowed. Perfect for schools, home gardens, roadside beds, and community flower shows.

🌼 May you enjoy planting and watching this cheerful Yellow Cosmos (پیلا کاسماس) dance under Lahore’s summer skies.