Cosmos Seashells Mixed
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Seashells Mixed'
Cosmos with tubular fluted petals rolled into perfect seashells — a Fleuroselect Novelty Winner in pink, white, carmine and bicolour. Architectural conversation piece.
About this variety
Every petal rolled into a tube, so the flower reads as a ring of small trumpets or shells radiating from the gold centre. It is a stable genetic quirk rather than a trick of breeding, and it won a Fleuroselect Novelty award for it. Visitors always stop and ask.
The mix gives soft pink, white, deep carmine and bicolours, all quilled, on tall plants at 100 to 120cm. In an arrangement the tubular petals bring a three-dimensional quality that a flat daisy cannot, which makes it more interesting in a modern vase than a traditional one.
Be prepared for some inconsistency. Not every flower quills fully. A proportion open half-rolled or nearly flat, particularly early in the season and on plants that have had a check, and it settles down as they mature. Unlike the fully double cosmos the centre is left open here, so bees can still use it. Lean soil, full sun, no feeding, and keep cutting to keep it flowering to the frosts.
Plant alongside
Cosmos Seashells Mixed pairs beautifully with these cottage garden classics
