''Cosmos sulphureus'' is a species of flowering plant in the sunflower family Asteraceae, also known as sulfur cosmos and yellow cosmos. It is native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, and naturalized in other parts of North and South America as well as in Europe, Asia, and Australia. This plant was declared

invasive Invasive may refer to: *Invasive (medical) procedure *Invasive species *Invasive observation, especially in reference to surveillance *Invasively progressive spread of disease from one organ in the body to another, especially in reference to cancer ...

by the United States Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council in 1996. The flowers of all ''Cosmos'' attract birds and butterflies, including the

monarch butterfly The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (''Danaus plexippus'') is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. It ...

Description

This species of ''Cosmos'' is considered a

half-hardy Hardiness of plants describes their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. It is usually limited to discussions of climatic adversity. Thus a plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, flooding, or wind are typically considered meas ...

annual, although plants may re-appear via self-sowing for several years. Its foliage is opposite and pinnately divided. The plant height varies from 1–7 feet (30–210 cm). The original and its cultivars appear in shades of yellow, orange, and red. It is especially popular in Korea and

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, where it is often seen in mass plantings along roadsides, following an initiative pursued by the Korean-Japanese botanist

Woo Jang-choon Woo Jang-choon (April 8, 1898 – August 10, 1959) was a Koreans in Japan, Korean-Japanese agricultural scientist and botanist, famous for his discoveries in the genetics and plant breeding, breeding of plants. Woo was born and raised in Japan, ...

Cultivars

Cultivars A cultivar is a type of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and when Plant propagation, propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and st ...

include: * 'Brightness Red' * 'Klondyke Mix', 'Polidor' consists of a variety of colors in shades from yellow to orange and scarlet * 'Ladybird Dwarf Red', 'Ladybird Dwarf Gold', 'Ladybird Dwarf Orange', and 'Ladybird Dwarf Lemon' are shorter than the species at 40 cm. Their flowering is very early. The flowers have vibrant colors in hues of yellow, orange and scarlet. Another cultivar is named 'Bright Eyes'. * 'The Diablo' reaches 75 cm with flowers of 5 cm intense orange red. * 'The Polidor' reaches 75 cm and bears semi-double flowers in shades of golden yellow, orange and red. * 'The Sunny Red' and 'Sunny Gold' have single flowers on stocky plants at 35 cm. * 'The Sunset' reaches 90 cm. It bears double or semi-double flowers in shades of red or scarlet orange * 'Tango' (those marked have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

Cultivation

Growth characteristics of this plant include: *

Germination Germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed or spore. The term is applied to the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm, the growth of a sporeling from a spore, such as the spores of fungi, fer ...

takes between 7 and 21 days at the optimal temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit; flowering begins between 50 and 60 days after germination * It prefers a soil pH between 6.0 and 8.5, reflecting its native habitat in the alkaline regions of Central America * Flowering is best in full sun, although partial shade is tolerated * The plant is tolerant to drought after germination, and is seldom subject to insect or disease damage; this vigor is attested by its status as a pest in some areas of the United States

Use

* Young shoots are eaten raw or cooked in Indonesia under the name of lalab or gudang. * The flowers are a

dye A dye is a colored substance that chemically bonds to the substrate to which it is being applied. This distinguishes dyes from pigments which do not chemically bind to the material they color. Dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution an ...

, producing an orange-yellow dye, used in pre-Columbian America and later in southern Africa to dye wool. * In Thailand, they are consumed in salads or herbal tea with the effect of inhibiting pancreatic lipase. * According to a Pakistani team (2017), in rats subjected to a high dose of

paracetamol Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a medication used to treat fever and mild to moderate pain. Common brand names include Tylenol and Panadol. At a standard dose, paracetamol only slightly decreases body temperature; it is inferior ...

, extract of the plant has a

hepatoprotective Hepatoprotection or antihepatotoxicity is the ability of a chemical substance to prevent damage to the liver. This is opposite to hepatotoxicity. Hepatoprotective molecules used in emergency medicine * Acetylcysteine is considered the hepatopro ...

effect. * A Ukrainian publication (2017) attributes to a bread containing 10% dry extract of Cosmos sulphureus a good note for its organoleptic qualities.Nina Osokina , Kateryna Kostetska , Helena Gerasymchuk and Valeriia Voziian , " DEVELOPING OF RECIPES AND ESTIMATION OF RAW MATERIAL FOR PRODUCTION OF WHEAT BREAD " , EUREKA: Life Sciences , vol. 0, n o 4,July 31, 2017, p. 26-34

Gallery

File:Cosmos sulphureus - flower view 02.jpg, ''Cosmos sulphureus'' in orange flower File:Cosmos sulphureus (71) 1200.jpg, ''Cosmos sulphureus'' with bee File:Cosmos sulphureus (14).jpg, Bud of ''Cosmos sulphureus'' File:Cosmos sulphureus Kerala.jpg, ''Cosmos sulphureus'' in Kerala File:Cosmos flower in Assam.jpg, Sulfer cosmos Flower File:Cosmos sulphureus buds and flower at Kadavoor.jpg, ''Cosmos sulphureus'', buds, flower and leaves File:Cosmos sulphureus MHNT.BOT.2007.43.48.jpg, ''Cosmos sulphureus'' - MHNT File:Cosmos sulphureus--flower at Muzhappilangad .jpg, Cosmos sulphureus File:Arya-kenikir sulfur-cosmos-graha nuansa-2019-01.jpg, Cosmos flower on bokeh mode File:Urbanus Proteus polinizating a Sulphur Cosmos.jpg File:Sulphur Cosmos with Apis Indica.jpg

References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentCalphotos Photo gallery, University of CaliforniaRoyal Horticultural Society
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1209998 sulphureus Flora of North America Flora of South America Plants described in 1791 Plant dyes Taxa named by Antonio José Cavanilles