Garden cosmos
Ornamental annual flowering from late summer until frost; its single flowers offer bees moderate nectar and yellow pollen.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 0,6-2 m
- Life cycle
- Annual
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Native to Mexico, garden cosmos is an annual ornamental common in gardens and along park edges. Its centre of yellow disc florets is regularly visited by honey bees, wild bees and hoverflies. Its nectar and pollen contribution is moderate; since it is not sown on a large field scale it plays no part in honey yield, but it gives a little support around the hives during the late-summer dearth.
Flowering
Sown in April-May, it begins flowering in July and continues until the first frosts, for about 3 months. Removing faded heads encourages new flowers.
Honey and pollen
There is no monofloral honey. The pollen loads are yellow.
Note for the beekeeper
Single varieties with an open centre should be preferred; double or quill-petalled varieties are of less use to bees. It flowers more on poor, dry soils; too much fertiliser boosts leaf growth and reduces flowering.