Cosmos Bipinnatus 'Candy Stripe' Care Tips

Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Candy Stripe’ is a low-maintenance annual with large, single white flowers that are striped with dark pink edges. It is a popular plant in English cottage gardens.

This plant has a long blooming season, flowering from early summer into fall. It’s great for cut flowers and looks nice in container gardens, too.

Keep reading to learn how to grow and care for candy stripe cosmos.

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Cosmos candy stripe overview

Common name – Cosmos candy stripe, Mexican aster candy stripe
Botanical name – Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Candy Stripe’
Family – Compositae
Plant type – Annual
Sunlight needs – Full sun
Soil requirements – Adapts to many soil types, from sandy to clay
Water needs – Moderate when young, but drought-tolerant when established
Soil pH – Neutral to slightly alkaline
Bloom time – Mid-summer to late fall
Flower color – Pink and white striped with dark pink margins
Mature size – 3 to 5 feet (90-150 cm) tall and 12 to 24 inches (30-60 cm) wide
Attracts – Butterflies and bees
Native area – Mexico and the Southwest US, particularly Arizona

Care tips for Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Candy Stripe’

Growing candy stripe cosmos is easy if you keep these things in mind:

Planting

Plant cosmos candy stripe seeds outdoors after your last frost.
The seeds can also be started indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting the seedlings outside.
When the seedlings are 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) tall, thin them to 12 – 18 inches (30-45 cm.

Because of their mature height (3 to 5 feet / 90-150 cm), they do well planted along a fence line behind other annuals and perennials.

Soil needs

Candy stripe cosmos will tolerate a wide range of soil types and conditions, including sandy and clay soils.
Avoid overly rich soil since this can encourage foliage growth at the expense of blooms.

Sunlight needs

Choose a location that gets full sun – 6-8 hours of sunlight a day is needed.
This annual benefits from afternoon shade in the hottest conditions.

Watering needs

Water well until the plant is established.
Watering once a week is normally sufficient.
Mature plants are relatively drought-tolerant.

Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Candy Stripe’ flowers

The flowers of cosmos candy stripe are large with petals ranging from pink to white, with bright crimson margins and yellow centers.

This tall, striking cosmos variety is great for cut flowers and attracting beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies.

Cosmos candy stripe will flower from mid-summer until frost. They self-seed readily.

Deadheading spent blooms will encourage the plant to produce more flowers.

With the right care, candy stripe cosmos will reward you with cheerful blooms all season long.

Where to purchase cosmos candy stripe seeds

If you would like to add this pretty annual to your garden this year, you can purchase seeds to grow it here:

Purchase seeds on Etsy.
American Meadows has seeds for sale.
Get heirloom seeds for candy stripe cosmos on Amazon.

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🌸❤️🤍 Add a pop of color to your garden with candy stripe cosmos! This easy-to-grow annual is pollinator-friendly and stunning in any flower bed. Head to The Gardening Cook to learn how to care for this cheerful flower.🌿✨#GardenTips… Share on X

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Admin note: This article for growing cosmos candy stripe first appeared on the blog in March 2013. This post has been updated to add all new photos, a video featuring other garden flowers, and more Candy stripe cosmos care tips.

Michelle

Thursday 28th of June 2018

I started dahlias, Cosmos, and Shasta daisy seeds inside. I live in zone 6, Boston area. Rooted cuttings of the dahlias, have plenty of shasta’s but only one cosmos still alive. On the last transfer to larger pots, I lost all but one. What did I do wrong? They were growing great outside. I read your article and only got one flower that I wouldn’t even call a flower. It was more of a bud that tried to flower but didn’t make it all the way. I didn’t know that Cosmos don’t like fertilizers. That is most likely the reason for only one bud. After two days of being placed and divided into larger pots, slowly all but one withered and eventually died. I lifted to check the roots, they were not great and noticed that the stems got soft. I transferred them prior and didn’t loose any, maybe one-two. What should I do with one cosmo? Plant it anyway??

Carol

Hi Michelle. Soft stems sounds like rotting. That would normally happen with too much water. I'd still plant the one, but there is probably also time to try growing it again from seed. Seedling grow quickly this time of the year. You might just need to start over. Carol

Gladie Peuler

Wednesday 7th of June 2017

HI..when you plant outside from picked seeds from last year. Can you just sow them on top of the soil or do they have to be covered with dirt.

I did it last year and they were awesome, I just don't remember this step!'

Thanks so much

Hi Gladie. I always cover mine lightly. Carol

Monday 13th of April 2015

Well, I got these seeds from the library seed share program, didnt find much info on the package. Also, I have them in starter pots, without a plastic lid or cover on top. Should I cover them , to help them retain moisture ? Its getting warmer here (Bay area, california)

Thanks AJ

admin

Hi AJ. Covering does help to retain moisture but be sure to remove at first sign of life.

Some seeds just don't germinate. I would have thought they would by now. Carol

How long do Cosmos take to germinate ? I planted some Cosmos Summer Sunshine last Wed (APril 8) , hvnt' seen any seedlings so far. Also , are they good to be transplanted?

Hi Aj. I can't remember exactly, but when I planted mine, I am pretty sure they were up in about a week. Does it say how long to germination on your seed package? They do need moisture until they get going but are pretty heat resistant and drought resistant after that.