Cupcakes Mix Cosmos Seeds
Award-winning New Look!
The faster you cut or deadhead the flowers, the faster new buds arise!
- Genus: Cosmos
- Species: bipinnatus
- Variety: 'Cupcakes Mix'
- Item Form: (P) Pkt of 25 seeds
- Bloom Start to End: Mid Summer - Mid Fall
- Habit: Upright
- Seeds Per Pack: 25
- Plant Height: 4 ft
- Plant Width: 24 in
- Additional Characteristics: Award Winner, Bird Lovers, Bloom First Year, Butterfly Lovers, Cut-and-Come-Again, Direct Sow, Double Blooms, Easy Care Plants, Ever Blooming, Flower, Free Bloomer, Needs Deadheading
- Bloom Color: Lavender, Light Pink, Mix, White
- Foliage Color: Medium Green
- Light Requirements: Full Sun
- Moisture Requirements: Dry, Moist, well-drained
- Resistance: Disease Resistant, Heat Tolerant, Humidity Tolerant, Pest Resistant
- Soil Tolerance: Clay, Normal, loamy, Poor, Sandy
- Uses: Beds, Cut Flowers, Outdoor
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Incredible! That's all we can say about this entirely different look for that old favorite, Cosmos bipinnatus. Instead of lying flat, the petals on Cupcakes Mix curve up and inward, creating a bowl or chalice look! And as if that weren't enough, most are double or semi-double, with a pinwheel pattern of smaller petals around the frilly yellow center of each bloom. There has never been anything like Cupcakes, and it's creating a sensation! No wonder it won a Fleuroselect Novelty Award in Europe!
This mix offers three vintage shades: pale lavender, soft pink, and creamy white. As the white blooms mature, they acquire pink tones; the lavender varies from lilac to mauve; and the pink can be several shades. In other words, you will grow a multi-hued bouquet with Cupcakes, the only constant being that the blooms will be cup-shaped, softly colored, and utterly beautiful!
The flowers begin in midsummer in most climates, arising on long, wiry stems that hold surprisingly well when the flowers are cut for the vase. Cosmos is a pollinator attractant too, so expect butterflies and bees to visit your Cupcakes all season! This cut-and-come-again variety rewards your prompt deadheading with new buds, and the show can continue well into fall in most climates. Just give Cupcakes Mix sunshine and well-drained soil; it will do the rest, reaching up to 4 feet high in full bloom, and spreading about 2 feet wide. Magnificent even in hot, dry, poor soil, Cupcakes is a scene-stealer in the annual bed.
And don't limit these beautiful flowers to one area of the garden! Cosmos is a fine choice for the vegetable patch; as a member of the Aster family, it does a good job of repelling "bad bugs" and attracting beneficial insects and wasps to help your veggies grow and bloom their best. Native to Mexico, it has a natural resistance to most pests and diseases, so Cupcakes Mix will grow readily with very little attention from you.
This mixture came about by accident, as so many wonderful things do. Gardener Diane Engdahl of Santa Rosa, California, discovered a Cosmos in her garden that set unique cup-shaped blooms. She carefully saved seeds and sent them off to a grower in England, who cultivated nad refined them for several years before introducing them to Europe. The reaction was nothing short of a sensation -- you simply couldn't find Cupcakes Mix seeds the first spring they were on the market! We are delighted to bring them back home and make them available to "native" gardens here!
Cupcakes Mix is every bit as simple to sow and grow as other Cosmos. Direct-sow the seed into the warm spring soil, or to get an even earlier start on those blooms, sow the seed indoors a few weeks before last frost using your Bio Dome or seed flats. If direct-sowing, thin the seedlings to about 18 inches apart. That's all there is to it!
The total time from direct-sowing outdoors to blooming is a little under 4 months. Resist the impulse to set seed out the minute you can in spring -- they really need heat and sunshine to sprout and grow their best. If your season is short, definitely start the seeds indoors in your Bio Dome and then transplant when the soil has warmed up and the nights are above 55°F.
Cosmos is the classic cottage garden plant, and Cupcakes Mix introduces a really exciting, beautiful new look. Make this annual a centerpiece in your garden and vase this season!
Cosmos Germination Information
How to Sow Cosmos: - Sow outdoors where plants are to grow when danger of frost has past
- Sow indoors 5-7 weeks before planting outside
- Cover the seeds with four times their thickness in soil
- Maintain a temperature within the medium of 68-75° F during germination
- Germination takes 5-10 days
- When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed
How to Grow Cosmos:
Spacing: Plant 9-24 inches apart in full sun in a dry, infertile soil with excellent drainage
Additional Care: Drought tolerant. Stake taller plants
Appearance and Use:
These attractive, quick-growing plants are great for background planting, beds, and borders with masses of colorful, daisylike blooms fo cutting. Upright, sun-loving annual with finely cut foliage and an abundance of vibrant blooms on slender stems
C. bipinnatus: 11/2 - 5 feet tall. Single or double. 21/2- inch blooms of white, pink, rose, and crimson sport tubular petals and a daisylike form. Where summers are cool, the blooms continue from July to frost
C. sulphureus: 1-2 feet tall. Double and semi-double, 2- inch blooms of yellow to orange are borne from July to frost. An ideal bedding plant that thrives in heat
About Cosmos:
Pronunciation: kos’mos
Lifecycle: Annual
Origination: Asteraceae; native to Mexico
Common Name: Mexican Aster
Superior Germination Through Superior Science
Park Seed offers some of the highest-quality vegetable and flower seeds available in the industry, and there are a number of reasons for this.First of all, we have humidity- and temperature-controlled storage, and we never treat any of our seeds with chemicals or pesticides. Nor do we ever sell GMO's (genetically modified seeds), so you always know the products you're buying from us are natural as well as safe for you and the environment.
Superior Standards - University Inspected
To make sure we are providing the best seed product possible and that our customers will get the highest number of seedlings from every packet, we conduct our own germination testing and have quality-control measures in every stage of our seed-handling operation. We hold ourselves to standards that are at or above federal and state standards, including testing specific crops more frequently than recommended by federal guidelines. And in order to maintain our organic certification, we welcome Clemson University to inspect us annually to make sure our organic seeds, which are stored and processed separately, are being handled properly.
Hand Packed By Experienced Technicians
Park Seed has been handling and packing vegetable and flower seeds for 145 years, a history that has given us a great understanding of how each variety should be cared for and maintained throughout every step of theprocess, from collection to shipping.
When packing our seeds, the majority are actually done by hand (with extreme care!), and we often over-pack them, so you're receiving more than the stated quantity.
The Park Seed Gold Standard
And many of our seeds are packed in our exclusive Fresh-Pak gold foil packets, which are lined to keep moisture out, so the seeds stay fresher for longer. We carefully pack very tiny or fragile seeds in crush-proof vials to ensure safe delivery to your home. Some of the small seeds are also offered as "pellets" (have a clay coating) to make sowing and growing easier.
When it comes to the kinds of seeds we offer, we are constantly seeking something new and provide many unique and hard-to-find varieties from all around the world. Our on-staff horticulturists are ready and available to share their expertise to help you with the success of these seeds, so you can grow a beautiful and productive garden!
Does Park sell GMO's or treated seeds?
It is important for our customers to know that Park Seed does not sell GMO or treated seed. We do buy a small amount of traditional hybrid seed from Seminis, a division of Monsanto Co., but that is all we purchase from them.
What are the differences between organic, heirloom, and hybrid seed?
Basically, organic seeds are seeds that are produced without the use and exposure to artificial/chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and other chemicals. They have to be grown, harvested, stored, and handled under very strict organic rules and procedures. All of our organic seeds are USDA 100% certified organic through Clemson University and the certificate has to be renewed yearly.Heirloom Seeds are open-pollinated -- they are not hybrids. You can gather and save heirloom seed from year to year and they will grow true to type every year, so they can be passed down through generations. To be considered an heirloom, a variety would have to be at least from the 1940's and 3 generations old (many varieties are much older -- some 100 years or more!).
Hybrid seed are the product of cross-pollination between 2 different parent plants, resulting in a new plant/seed that is different from the parents. Unlike Heirloom seed, hybrid seed need to be re-purchased new every year (and not saved). They usually will not grow true to type if you save them, but will revert to one of the parents they were crossed with and most likely look/taste different in some way.
What are pelleted seeds? Why do you use them? How do I handle/sow them?
Extremely small seed such as Petunias and Pentas are shipped as pelleted seed to make them easier to handle and sow. Pelleted seed are coated, usually with clay, to make them larger in size. After sowing, the coating will dissolve when wet and the seed will germinate. Pelleted seeds are shipped in vials placed inside seed packets, which protects them from being crushed. When sowing, be certain to use thoroughly moistened soil, to be sure that the clay coating absorbs enough moisture to dissolve. For sowing pelleted Petunia seeds, place the seeds directly on the soil surface and do not cover with soil, as light aids in the germination.
What is ideal temperature to germinate most seeds?
The ideal temperature to germinate most seeds is approximately 70 degrees F; give or take 1-2 degrees either way. This would be a good germination temperature for most flower and vegetable seeds and would be the most practical and feasible temperatures achieved for gardeners starting seeds in the home. You will notice for some seeds that it is recommended to use alternating day (warmer), night (cooler), temperatures, which is fine if one can provide such conditions. But most people are unable to provide those temperatures in a home setting, so just use the overall 70 degree F recommendation and the seeds should germinate well.
How long should grow lights be kept on per day and how close to the plants should the light be kept?
For germination and seedling/plant growth, you want to simulate the natural day-night cycles, and as a general rule, grow lights should be on 8-12 hours per day and off at night. You can vary this timing, as some seeds such as tomato, pepper, petunia, impatiens, and others, benefit from 14-17 hours of light per day (and the remainder of the 24 hour period in darkness). The most common grow lights used are fluorescent; using cool white, warm white, and wide-spectrum fluorescent tubes. These lights work well for germination and for growing plants up to a transplantable size. Fluorescent lights should be kept close though, 3-6 inches above the soil or the growing plants, adjusting the height as the plants grow.
How long will seeds keep in storage?
Park Seed stores seed in a special temperature- and humidity-controlled storage facility, which keeps seeds in excellent condition. Our seeds should be good for at least 1-2 years on average. Seed viability and storage time will vary depending on the seed item; some will keep a shorter time and some will keep longer. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place. A basement will do (if not too humid), or a cool, dark room or closet. We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store them in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.
What is the best way to store seeds over a longer time period?
We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store seeds in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.
What depth should I sow various seeds?
When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed. When sowing seed indoors, the planting depth can be less, depending on the seed being sown, so it is always best to check specific directions. Here are some general guidelines concerning planting depth in relation to seed size: Tiny, dust-like seeds need to be sown on the surface of the growing medium or soil, uncovered, as they need light to germinate. The planting depth for small seed can be anywhere from barely covering, to 1/8-inch deep, to possibly 1/4-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Medium seed should be planted at 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Larger seeds can be planted 1-inch or deeper, depending on the recommendation.
Incredible! That's all we can say about this entirely different look for that old favorite, Cosmos bipinnatus. Instead of lying flat, the petals on Cupcakes Mix curve up and inward, creating a bowl or chalice look! And as if that weren't enough, most are double or semi-double, with a pinwheel pattern of smaller petals around the frilly yellow center of each bloom. There has never been anything like Cupcakes, and it's creating a sensation! No wonder it won a Fleuroselect Novelty Award in Europe!
This mix offers three vintage shades: pale lavender, soft pink, and creamy white. As the white blooms mature, they acquire pink tones; the lavender varies from lilac to mauve; and the pink can be several shades. In other words, you will grow a multi-hued bouquet with Cupcakes, the only constant being that the blooms will be cup-shaped, softly colored, and utterly beautiful!
The flowers begin in midsummer in most climates, arising on long, wiry stems that hold surprisingly well when the flowers are cut for the vase. Cosmos is a pollinator attractant too, so expect butterflies and bees to visit your Cupcakes all season! This cut-and-come-again variety rewards your prompt deadheading with new buds, and the show can continue well into fall in most climates. Just give Cupcakes Mix sunshine and well-drained soil; it will do the rest, reaching up to 4 feet high in full bloom, and spreading about 2 feet wide. Magnificent even in hot, dry, poor soil, Cupcakes is a scene-stealer in the annual bed.
And don't limit these beautiful flowers to one area of the garden! Cosmos is a fine choice for the vegetable patch; as a member of the Aster family, it does a good job of repelling "bad bugs" and attracting beneficial insects and wasps to help your veggies grow and bloom their best. Native to Mexico, it has a natural resistance to most pests and diseases, so Cupcakes Mix will grow readily with very little attention from you.
This mixture came about by accident, as so many wonderful things do. Gardener Diane Engdahl of Santa Rosa, California, discovered a Cosmos in her garden that set unique cup-shaped blooms. She carefully saved seeds and sent them off to a grower in England, who cultivated nad refined them for several years before introducing them to Europe. The reaction was nothing short of a sensation -- you simply couldn't find Cupcakes Mix seeds the first spring they were on the market! We are delighted to bring them back home and make them available to "native" gardens here!
Cupcakes Mix is every bit as simple to sow and grow as other Cosmos. Direct-sow the seed into the warm spring soil, or to get an even earlier start on those blooms, sow the seed indoors a few weeks before last frost using your Bio Dome or seed flats. If direct-sowing, thin the seedlings to about 18 inches apart. That's all there is to it!
The total time from direct-sowing outdoors to blooming is a little under 4 months. Resist the impulse to set seed out the minute you can in spring -- they really need heat and sunshine to sprout and grow their best. If your season is short, definitely start the seeds indoors in your Bio Dome and then transplant when the soil has warmed up and the nights are above 55°F.
Cosmos is the classic cottage garden plant, and Cupcakes Mix introduces a really exciting, beautiful new look. Make this annual a centerpiece in your garden and vase this season!
Cosmos Germination Information
How to Sow Cosmos: - Sow outdoors where plants are to grow when danger of frost has past
- Sow indoors 5-7 weeks before planting outside
- Cover the seeds with four times their thickness in soil
- Maintain a temperature within the medium of 68-75° F during germination
- Germination takes 5-10 days
- When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed
How to Grow Cosmos:
Spacing: Plant 9-24 inches apart in full sun in a dry, infertile soil with excellent drainage
Additional Care: Drought tolerant. Stake taller plants
Appearance and Use:
These attractive, quick-growing plants are great for background planting, beds, and borders with masses of colorful, daisylike blooms fo cutting. Upright, sun-loving annual with finely cut foliage and an abundance of vibrant blooms on slender stems
C. bipinnatus: 11/2 - 5 feet tall. Single or double. 21/2- inch blooms of white, pink, rose, and crimson sport tubular petals and a daisylike form. Where summers are cool, the blooms continue from July to frost
C. sulphureus: 1-2 feet tall. Double and semi-double, 2- inch blooms of yellow to orange are borne from July to frost. An ideal bedding plant that thrives in heat
About Cosmos:
Pronunciation: kos’mos
Lifecycle: Annual
Origination: Asteraceae; native to Mexico
Common Name: Mexican Aster
Superior Germination Through Superior Science
Park Seed offers some of the highest-quality vegetable and flower seeds available in the industry, and there are a number of reasons for this.First of all, we have humidity- and temperature-controlled storage, and we never treat any of our seeds with chemicals or pesticides. Nor do we ever sell GMO's (genetically modified seeds), so you always know the products you're buying from us are natural as well as safe for you and the environment.
Superior Standards - University Inspected
To make sure we are providing the best seed product possible and that our customers will get the highest number of seedlings from every packet, we conduct our own germination testing and have quality-control measures in every stage of our seed-handling operation. We hold ourselves to standards that are at or above federal and state standards, including testing specific crops more frequently than recommended by federal guidelines. And in order to maintain our organic certification, we welcome Clemson University to inspect us annually to make sure our organic seeds, which are stored and processed separately, are being handled properly.
Hand Packed By Experienced Technicians
Park Seed has been handling and packing vegetable and flower seeds for 145 years, a history that has given us a great understanding of how each variety should be cared for and maintained throughout every step of theprocess, from collection to shipping.
When packing our seeds, the majority are actually done by hand (with extreme care!), and we often over-pack them, so you're receiving more than the stated quantity.
The Park Seed Gold Standard
And many of our seeds are packed in our exclusive Fresh-Pak gold foil packets, which are lined to keep moisture out, so the seeds stay fresher for longer. We carefully pack very tiny or fragile seeds in crush-proof vials to ensure safe delivery to your home. Some of the small seeds are also offered as "pellets" (have a clay coating) to make sowing and growing easier.
When it comes to the kinds of seeds we offer, we are constantly seeking something new and provide many unique and hard-to-find varieties from all around the world. Our on-staff horticulturists are ready and available to share their expertise to help you with the success of these seeds, so you can grow a beautiful and productive garden!
Does Park sell GMO's or treated seeds?
It is important for our customers to know that Park Seed does not sell GMO or treated seed. We do buy a small amount of traditional hybrid seed from Seminis, a division of Monsanto Co., but that is all we purchase from them.
What are the differences between organic, heirloom, and hybrid seed?
Basically, organic seeds are seeds that are produced without the use and exposure to artificial/chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and other chemicals. They have to be grown, harvested, stored, and handled under very strict organic rules and procedures. All of our organic seeds are USDA 100% certified organic through Clemson University and the certificate has to be renewed yearly.Heirloom Seeds are open-pollinated -- they are not hybrids. You can gather and save heirloom seed from year to year and they will grow true to type every year, so they can be passed down through generations. To be considered an heirloom, a variety would have to be at least from the 1940's and 3 generations old (many varieties are much older -- some 100 years or more!).
Hybrid seed are the product of cross-pollination between 2 different parent plants, resulting in a new plant/seed that is different from the parents. Unlike Heirloom seed, hybrid seed need to be re-purchased new every year (and not saved). They usually will not grow true to type if you save them, but will revert to one of the parents they were crossed with and most likely look/taste different in some way.
What are pelleted seeds? Why do you use them? How do I handle/sow them?
Extremely small seed such as Petunias and Pentas are shipped as pelleted seed to make them easier to handle and sow. Pelleted seed are coated, usually with clay, to make them larger in size. After sowing, the coating will dissolve when wet and the seed will germinate. Pelleted seeds are shipped in vials placed inside seed packets, which protects them from being crushed. When sowing, be certain to use thoroughly moistened soil, to be sure that the clay coating absorbs enough moisture to dissolve. For sowing pelleted Petunia seeds, place the seeds directly on the soil surface and do not cover with soil, as light aids in the germination.
What is ideal temperature to germinate most seeds?
The ideal temperature to germinate most seeds is approximately 70 degrees F; give or take 1-2 degrees either way. This would be a good germination temperature for most flower and vegetable seeds and would be the most practical and feasible temperatures achieved for gardeners starting seeds in the home. You will notice for some seeds that it is recommended to use alternating day (warmer), night (cooler), temperatures, which is fine if one can provide such conditions. But most people are unable to provide those temperatures in a home setting, so just use the overall 70 degree F recommendation and the seeds should germinate well.
How long should grow lights be kept on per day and how close to the plants should the light be kept?
For germination and seedling/plant growth, you want to simulate the natural day-night cycles, and as a general rule, grow lights should be on 8-12 hours per day and off at night. You can vary this timing, as some seeds such as tomato, pepper, petunia, impatiens, and others, benefit from 14-17 hours of light per day (and the remainder of the 24 hour period in darkness). The most common grow lights used are fluorescent; using cool white, warm white, and wide-spectrum fluorescent tubes. These lights work well for germination and for growing plants up to a transplantable size. Fluorescent lights should be kept close though, 3-6 inches above the soil or the growing plants, adjusting the height as the plants grow.
How long will seeds keep in storage?
Park Seed stores seed in a special temperature- and humidity-controlled storage facility, which keeps seeds in excellent condition. Our seeds should be good for at least 1-2 years on average. Seed viability and storage time will vary depending on the seed item; some will keep a shorter time and some will keep longer. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place. A basement will do (if not too humid), or a cool, dark room or closet. We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store them in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.
What is the best way to store seeds over a longer time period?
We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store seeds in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.
What depth should I sow various seeds?
When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed. When sowing seed indoors, the planting depth can be less, depending on the seed being sown, so it is always best to check specific directions. Here are some general guidelines concerning planting depth in relation to seed size: Tiny, dust-like seeds need to be sown on the surface of the growing medium or soil, uncovered, as they need light to germinate. The planting depth for small seed can be anywhere from barely covering, to 1/8-inch deep, to possibly 1/4-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Medium seed should be planted at 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Larger seeds can be planted 1-inch or deeper, depending on the recommendation.