Origin
Brazil
Light
Bright indirect
Watering
Weekly
Care
Expert
Flowering
Foliage
Cosmos Chocolat
With velvety flowers of a maroon so deep it reads as black, and a genuine scent of chocolate, the Chocolate Cosmos has been extinct in the wild for over a century.
Care Profile
A guide to ensuring your botanical companion thrives.
Origin
Mexico
Light
Full sun
Watering
Weekly
Maintenance
Moderate
Mexico's vanished fragrance
Native to Mexico, the Chocolate Cosmos has not been seen in the wild since the early twentieth century: every plant grown today descends from a single clone, propagated without interruption ever since.
Its flowers release a warm scent of cocoa and vanilla in late afternoon — a unique olfactory signature that makes it one of the most sought-after flowers in collectors' gardens.
"The Chocolate Cosmos lost its homeland, but never its scent."
01
Styling Tip 01
Full sun
Give it a sunny position: sun deepens both the colour and the fragrance of its flowers.
02
Styling Tip 02
Well-drained soil
It hates standing moisture around its tubers; light, free-draining soil is essential.
03
Styling Tip 03
Protect from frost
Its tubers are frost-tender: in cold climates, lift and store them over winter as you would a dahlia.
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Origin
Australia
Light
Full sun to partial shade
Watering
Weekly
Care
Moderate
Flowering
Foliage