Cosmos sulphureus Cav.

Sulphur Cosmos

Cosmos_sulphureus_plant.jpg
STATS

Introduced
CC = *
CW = 5
MOC = 3

© DETenaglia

Family - Asteraceae/Heliantheae

Stems - No info yet.

Cosmos_sulphureus_stem.jpg

© DETenaglia

Leaves - No info yet.

Cosmos_sulphureus_leaves.jpg

© DETenaglia

Inflorescence - No info yet.

Involucre - No info yet.

Cosmos_sulphureus_involucre.jpg Involucre.

© DETenaglia

Ray flowers - No info yet.

Cosmos_sulphureus_flowers.jpg

© DETenaglia

Disk flowers - No info yet.

Cosmos_sulphureus_disk.jpg Disk close-up.

© DETenaglia

Flowering - August - October.

Habitat - Cultivated along roadsides and around homesites.

Origin - Native to Mexico.

Other info. - This striking species can be found cultivated throughout Missouri. The plant is easy to identify becasue of its bipinnate leaves and orange flowers. It is naturalized throughout much of the eastern United States.
The young leaves of the plant can be eaten raw or cooked to substitute for salad greens.

Photographs taken somewhere in Alabama, 6-20-04.