Non-flowering Cosmos
 

A certain number of the yellow cosmos I plant come up with huge shaggy
leaves and thick stems but never produce a single flower. This is true
of those I purchase in sets and those I plant from seed.

Last year I left them in assuming they'd eventually bloom, but they
didn't. This year I yanked them.

What's the explanation?
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info

I would imagine you yanked them because you are impatient and impetuous and
you always expect instant gratification!!!

Try taking it easy and don't give yourself a stroke!!


"Jenny" wrote in message
...
A certain number of the yellow cosmos I plant come up with huge shaggy
leaves and thick stems but never produce a single flower. This is true of
those I purchase in sets and those I plant from seed.

Last year I left them in assuming they'd eventually bloom, but they
didn't. This year I yanked them.

What's the explanation?
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info

Jenny wrote:
A certain number of the yellow cosmos I plant come up with huge shaggy
leaves and thick stems but never produce a single flower. This is true
of those I purchase in sets and those I plant from seed.

Last year I left them in assuming they'd eventually bloom, but they
didn't. This year I yanked them.

What's the explanation?
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info

I've got Cosmos sulphureus "Bright Lights" in several spots with a
couple of ragweed plants growing up among them, which I only just
recently noticed when they outstripped the cosmos in height while
failing to produce any flowers. The foliage is pretty similar--are you
sure it's all cosmos you're looking at?

DrLith wrote:


I've got Cosmos sulphureus "Bright Lights" in several spots with a
couple of ragweed plants growing up among them, which I only just
recently noticed when they outstripped the cosmos in height while
failing to produce any flowers. The foliage is pretty similar--are you
sure it's all cosmos you're looking at?

Mine are also Bright Lights and yes, they do look a lot like Ragweed,
though the seedlings are subtly different.

When I was young I had an extreme allergy to ragweed that would cause my
windpipe to close if I were in a field of it. So I am pretty good at
identifying it and I pluck out the seedlings I find in my yard as soon
as I see them.

But beyond that, last year I left the one non-flowering cosmos that I
had bought at a nursery until near frost and it not only didn't put out
cosmos flowers, it also did not grow the characteristic ragweed flower.
So I'm pretty certain it wasn't ragweed.

It's not a big issue, between the ones I planted and the volunteers from
the previous year, I'm all set for flowering cosmos. I was just curious
what might be going on.
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info

I get a lot of self-seeding cosmos, and some started to bloom around July
1 - others have yet to bloom - in many cases, the plants are within 2-3
feet of the others in nearly identical soil/water conditions. I have to
assume that there are genetic factors involved as well as the usual
suspects - light and/or heat triggers.
"Jenny" wrote in message
...
A certain number of the yellow cosmos I plant come up with huge shaggy
leaves and thick stems but never produce a single flower. This is true of
those I purchase in sets and those I plant from seed.

Last year I left them in assuming they'd eventually bloom, but they
didn't. This year I yanked them.

What's the explanation?
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info

The first thought that comes to mind is whether they get at least 6 hours of
sun/day. But you probably already considered that factor.

Suzy O

"Jenny" wrote in message
...
DrLith wrote:


I've got Cosmos sulphureus "Bright Lights" in several spots with a
couple of ragweed plants growing up among them, which I only just
recently noticed when they outstripped the cosmos in height while
failing to produce any flowers. The foliage is pretty similar--are you
sure it's all cosmos you're looking at?

Mine are also Bright Lights and yes, they do look a lot like Ragweed,
though the seedlings are subtly different.

When I was young I had an extreme allergy to ragweed that would cause my
windpipe to close if I were in a field of it. So I am pretty good at
identifying it and I pluck out the seedlings I find in my yard as soon
as I see them.

But beyond that, last year I left the one non-flowering cosmos that I
had bought at a nursery until near frost and it not only didn't put out
cosmos flowers, it also did not grow the characteristic ragweed flower.
So I'm pretty certain it wasn't ragweed.

It's not a big issue, between the ones I planted and the volunteers from
the previous year, I'm all set for flowering cosmos. I was just curious
what might be going on.
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info

The same happened to me this year. I raised about 20 cosmos from seed,
and maybe two or three did not bloom at all, but where becoming larger
than the others (thicker stems and much taller). They were grown
besides flowering cosmos, so probably a genetic thing.

Good to hear I not the only person with these mutants in my garden. :-)

Cheers,

-- Storm

On 2005-08-22, presley wrote:
I get a lot of self-seeding cosmos, and some started to bloom around July
1 - others have yet to bloom - in many cases, the plants are within 2-3
feet of the others in nearly identical soil/water conditions. I have to
assume that there are genetic factors involved as well as the usual
suspects - light and/or heat triggers.
"Jenny" wrote in message
...
A certain number of the yellow cosmos I plant come up with huge shaggy
leaves and thick stems but never produce a single flower. This is true of
those I purchase in sets and those I plant from seed.

Last year I left them in assuming they'd eventually bloom, but they
didn't. This year I yanked them.

What's the explanation?
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info

Too much fertilizer.


Storm wrote:
The same happened to me this year. I raised about 20 cosmos from seed,
and maybe two or three did not bloom at all, but where becoming larger
than the others (thicker stems and much taller). They were grown
besides flowering cosmos, so probably a genetic thing.

Good to hear I not the only person with these mutants in my garden. :-)

Cheers,

-- Storm

On 2005-08-22, presley wrote:

I get a lot of self-seeding cosmos, and some started to bloom around July
1 - others have yet to bloom - in many cases, the plants are within 2-3
feet of the others in nearly identical soil/water conditions. I have to
assume that there are genetic factors involved as well as the usual
suspects - light and/or heat triggers.
"Jenny" wrote in message
...

A certain number of the yellow cosmos I plant come up with huge shaggy
leaves and thick stems but never produce a single flower. This is true of
those I purchase in sets and those I plant from seed.

Last year I left them in assuming they'd eventually bloom, but they
didn't. This year I yanked them.

What's the explanation?
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info

our cosmos, raised from seed, have been particularly poor this year. They go in the front garden in full sun (when it's out..!!) However this year the show has been mostly flowerless.

In article says...
our cosmos, raised from seed, have been particularly poor this year.
They go in the front garden in full sun (when it's out..!!) However
this year the show has been mostly flowerless.

I get a lot of cosmos in a first year wildflower seed planting. I think
they dominate because there are no perennials around taking up space.
Anyway, I've noticed cosmos blooming in all different stages of the
summer season here in zone 5 Chicago. Some plants bloom early and often
in June while others wait till July, August, and September. I have
noticed that for some reason some cosmos just grow into a big bush with
lots of foliage. These usually bloom late September, early to mid
October. I actually prefer this type of cosmos because the foliage
makes for a nice accent to my gardens and in general, I'm kind of bored
with the cosmos flower and after they flower they get all spindly and
ugly looking. Many times patience pays off and its nice to have things
still going when fall weather arrives. My latest bloomer is Pineapple
sage and if the weather cooperates, that won't bloom till November. If
the weather doesn't cooperate it never blooms at all and I just grew a
huge green bush all year. No big deal though. IMHO, green and big is
good too.

Mark Anderson wrote:
In article says...

our cosmos, raised from seed, have been particularly poor this year.
They go in the front garden in full sun (when it's out..!!) However
this year the show has been mostly flowerless.

These usually bloom late September, early to mid
October. I actually prefer this type of cosmos because the foliage
makes for a nice accent to my gardens and in general, I'm kind of bored
with the cosmos flower and after they flower they get all spindly and
ugly looking.

Well, if these big cosmos only bloom in Late September or early October,
I'm glad I yanked them. We get our first frost so early here that they
would barely begin to make a show.

And besides, I need that bed space for my ice pansies!



--
--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/ Type 2 Diabetes info
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/ Low Carb info