Cosmos 'Bright Lights' is a warm-weather, half-hardy annual that grows 36 to 48 inches tall and blooms heavily over a long season, from early summer into fall. The semidouble blooms appear in a mix of sunny summer colorsincluding shades of gold, orange, red, and yellowand beckon to honey bees and wild bees as well as hummingbirds. The blooms are long-lasting and make lovely cut flowers for summer bouquets and mixed floral arrangements.
A Cosmos sulphureus cultivar, commonly called sulphur cosmos or cosmos, 'Bright Lights' has an upright habit of ferny foliage. The plant is a great addition to garden beds and borders, but it's also perfect for a patio pot. 'Bright Lights' is a must-have for a pollinator garden or cut flower garden , and since it may self-seed in ideal conditions, it's ideal for meadows gardens and wild, naturalized areas. Cosmos also offer pest control in organic gardens.
Easy to grow and low maintenance, cosmos grow best in sunny locations with dry to moderately moist, well-drained soil but tolerates poor soils. Rich fertile soil may produce weak, leggy plants and encourage lush foliage at the expense of blooms. Deadheading spent flowers encourages more blooms.
Direct sow cosmos seed in the garden after last frost date into soil that has warmed to 65°F. Seed may also be started indoors about 4-6 weeks prior to the last spring frost date and transplanted after the threat of frost has passed.
