Cosmos Cherry Chocolate

Common Name:

Cosmos 'Cherry Chocolate' – Chocolate Cosmos

Description:

Cosmos 'Cherry Chocolate' is a captivating flowering perennial prized for its rich cherry-pink blooms, distinctive chocolate fragrance and elegant, finely divided green foliage. This beautiful variety produces an abundance of daisy-like flowers in vibrant shades of deep pink, cherry and magenta, each featuring a contrasting dark burgundy centre. The velvety-looking blooms release a delightful chocolate-like scent, particularly during warm, sunny weather, adding a unique sensory element to the garden. Its graceful, upright stems and delicate foliage create a soft, airy appearance, making it an excellent choice for cottage gardens, mixed perennial borders, feature plantings and decorative containers.

Flowering from late spring through summer and into autumn, Cosmos 'Cherry Chocolate' provides a long-lasting display of colourful blooms that attract bees, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators. Well suited to Melbourne's temperate climate, it thrives in full sun and prefers fertile, well-drained soil. Once established, it offers good tolerance to heat and short dry periods, although regular watering during prolonged hot weather will encourage continuous flowering. Removing spent flowers promotes further blooms and maintains a tidy appearance. In Melbourne's cooler months, the plant may die back or become dormant, particularly following frost, before producing fresh growth as temperatures rise. A layer of mulch can help protect the root system during winter, while avoiding excessive moisture around the crown. With its unusual chocolate fragrance, vibrant flowers and extended flowering season, Cosmos 'Cherry Chocolate' is a delightful addition to gardens seeking colour, fragrance and pollinator appeal.

Form:

- Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

Mature Size:

• Height: 50–70 cm

• Width: 40–60 cm

Aspect:

- Full Sun

Flowering:

• Flowers in Spring

• Flowers in Summer

• Flowers in Autumn

Flower Colour:

• Cherry pink

• Deep magenta

• Burgundy-pink

• Dark burgundy centres

Key Attributes:

• Bee Attracting

• Butterfly Attracting

• Chocolate-Scented Flowers

• Frost Sensitive

• Heat Tolerant

• Herbaceous

• Long Flowering Period

• Low Maintenance

• Perennial

• Scented flowers

• Suitable for Cottage Gardens

• Suitable for Cut Flowers

• Suitable for Mass Planting

• Suitable for Pots

• Summer Flowering

• Winter Dormant in Cold Conditions

Toxicity:

Cosmos 'Cherry Chocolate' is not widely documented as toxic to humans, dogs or cats. However, specific toxicity information for this variety is limited. Ingestion of ornamental plant material should be discouraged, as it may cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort in sensitive individuals or pets. Despite its chocolate fragrance, the flowers are not intended for consumption.

Companion Plants:

• Achillea (Yarrow)

• Agastache (Hummingbird Mint)

• Coreopsis (Tickseed)

• Dahlia

• Echinacea (Coneflower)

• Gaura (Butterfly Bush)

• Lavandula (Lavender)

• Nepeta (Catmint)

• Penstemon

• Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)

• Salvia nemorosa

• Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)

• Verbena bonariensis

• Zinnia

  Plant Growers Australia (PGA) is an innovative wholesale production nursery based in Melbourne, renowned for superior quality garden plants and pioneering breeding programs.
  PGA do not sell direct to the public, but their website has detailed information on this species that is available for everyone to access. 
  Visit www.pga.com.au for further details and photos of this plant.