One of the most unique flowers of Latin America is rightfully considered to be the Chocolate Cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus), which can be found in many countries of the region, but most of all cosmos grows in the fields of Mexico, which is considered the birthplace of this flowering plant.
Black cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus), or as it is also called, chocolate cosmos - a unique perennial plant, no more than one and a half meters high, with an unusual color and aroma of chocolate. The variety of these flowers is not so great, because there are twenty-five species in total, but at the same time, the forms of one species are quite different from another, the color palette and variety of cosmos smells are also impressive.
The most unique thing about chocolate cosmos is its smell. This houseplant has a pronounced smell of chocolate and vanilla in the summer, which turned out to be so attractive to people that the flowers were picked en masse, and the unique plant died. And since in nature, cosmos seeds have a fairly low level of germination and viability, it almost disappeared. Since this flower is also very vulnerable to sudden changes in weather, especially frost, it is no longer found in the wild. All plantings in its homeland are the result of many years of work by breeders to restore this type of plant. The plants are light-loving, cold-resistant, undemanding to soil, but grow better on loose and rich in nutrients. They are propagated by seeds. Sowing is done in April in open ground or cold greenhouses. Seedlings are sown from March to mid-April. The seeds are only pressed into the substrate, without sprinkling them with soil, since they need light to germinate. At a temperature of 15-18°C, shoots appear in 1-2 weeks.
The seedlings are planted in place in May at a distance of 30-35 cm.
They tolerate transplantation well. "Bloody cosmos" is propagated by seeds, rhizomes and cuttings. But the germination rate of seeds is very low, and therefore experienced gardeners prefer to propagate flowers by rhizomes. Cuttings also give a good result, but it will be difficult for a beginner to grow a full-fledged plant from a cutting for the first time.
The flower is liked not only by people, but also by snails. They in the company of slugs can pretty much spoil a lush bush, leaving it bashfully covered with leaves. To avoid such incidents, keep an eye on your chocolate bar, otherwise it will be nibbled!
Plants require timely and regular watering.
Withered inflorescences are removed immediately - this stimulates the formation of new buds. Tall varieties are tied to stakes driven into the soil. On nutrient-rich soils, they are fed every 6-8 weeks, and on poor soils, every 3-4 weeks with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer. When planted in pots, it can overwinter in a greenhouse or living rooms.
There were times when these flowering plants were almost considered weeds, but today the attitude towards them has changed dramatically. Cosmos are now popular in many countries of the world, including Russia, because they are beautiful, unpretentious and cold-resistant ornamental plants.
Chocolate cosmos is now widespread in America, where all its advantages have been appreciated. Many people believe that this flower is very ancient. Its amazing smell, reminiscent of chocolate, attracted people who tried to pick the plant as a souvenir. But by the beginning of the last century, due to such a people's attitude to the flower, there were only a few bushes of chocolate cosmos left in Mexico.
Scientists took urgent measures in time, collecting seeds from the last bush of this flower in 1902, allowing those same to enjoy the amazing aroma and beauty of the plant. Until now, the preservation of chocolate cosmos is cited as an example of preserving botanical diversity in many scientific works.
Florists also love chocolate cosmos. This plant looks perfect in almost any bouquet. And its chocolate aroma makes the flower universal when composing bouquets for home interiors. Many designers play on the high contrast of the walls and chocolate cosmos, because its color is very, very unusual. It looks equally good both in dark, semi-lit rooms and in light rooms with artificial or daylight.
Chocolate cosmos is no longer considered an endangered plant, but even now its seeds are not cheap abroad.
In our country it is propagated not only by seeds, but also by dividing the root crops. Modern varieties are light-loving and cold-resistant, and have also retained their undemanding nature to the soil, although of course on loose and nutrient-rich soil the flowers are much larger and smell of chocolate more intensely.