Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’

BLACK MAGIC CHOCOLATE COSMOS

COLLECTOR’S PACK

Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’
BLACK MAGIC CHOCOLATE COSMOS
COLLECTOR’S PACK

The existence of Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’ is a miracle.
And so is the beauty of this legendary perennial plant.

Black-burgundy silk velvet

Flowers are large, with a texture that looks as if they are made of silk velvet – sumptuous.
Of exquisite colour – shades of deep, rich burgundy-black velvet.

Almost as black as your boot

In 1915 the legendary plantsman, EA Bowles, described the wonderous Chocolate Cosmos saying
“as dark a maroon as can exist without it being as black as your boot”.

Mouth watering scent of chocolate

But it is the fragrance that bewitches me – the scent of mouth wateringly delicious, high quality chocolate.

Claytons chocolate – the chocolate you can have when you are not having chocolate – 0 calories in a sniff

You can sniff Cosmos atrosanguineus as a chocolate fix as often as you wish – with absolutely no calories and no weight gain.

The magical story of Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’ 

In 1860-61 intrepid plant hunters brought the delectably scented Cosmos back from Mexico to Britain.
Of course it was a gardening sensation (scentsation) immediately, and went on to be grown and sold by seed merchants for decades.
Then fashions and fortunes  changed, and the seed merchants stopped producing the seed in 1942 during WW11.
Until finally the plant was believed to be lost forever in gardens, and lost in the wild too.

Extinct in the wild

Meanwhile, broad scale logging, mining and agriculture wiped out the wild plants in Mexico.
Only one known plant remained in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew – and it was a sterile male – no seed!!!!
The desire was to raise a population to re-introduce back into the wild in Mexico, with the hope that some plants may be able to set seed.

One lonely sterile male

So when gardeners cried out for Chocolate Cosmos again – all plants had to be cloned from the poor lonely fellow in Kew (thank heavens for tissue culture techniques) – all were identical sterile males and all looked alike.

Then a miracle in NZ

Then miraculously – in 1990 a NZ geneticist noticed that one plant in his stock had managed to set 2 seeds – they were away.
Breeding began from these 2 seeds, then selecting the best, cross breeding, selecting the best – and on and on the work went.
A single seed head from a fertile plant in a NZ garden in 2004 – is now the origin of this lovely seed strain of ‘Black Magic’ Chocolate Cosmos.

With glorious variations instead of identical sterile clones

Flowers grown from ‘Black Magic’ seeds have some glorious variations in colour and form – all glorious, and all superbly scented – but with difference.

Miraculous ‘Black Magic’ Chocolate Cosmos

So today we can once again raise this beautiful perennial plant from seed, and enjoy sniffing chocolate in our gardens, and all its beauties for many years to come.

Special beauty of ‘Black Magic’ flowers 

Some flowers will be even blacker than the tissue culture clones; and some will be blood red-black.
Some will be semi-double and full of petals; and some will have a single pin-wheel of pointed petals.
They are beautifully scented.
All are the best fun – one of the most exciting plants you can grow from seed – hideously expensive for seeds – but worth every penny.

Prolific & long bloomer all summer & autumn

Plants of Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’ are long & constant blooming through summer and autumn, on strong stems.

Hardy & easy to grow perennial

Plant in Full Sun, though ‘Black Magic’ can also tolerate a little Part Shade, particularly in hot areas.

Water-wise & tolerates some dry

‘Black Magic’ is water-wise, heat & dry hardy, and tough.
This great perennial forms a tuberous root system, rather like a small Dahlia, so it can very successfully store water and food for the tough times.

Quick to bloom from seed

Fortunately Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’ is a low maintenance perennial which is quick and easy to raise from seed.
So it will be happily blooming in the first summer after sowing the seed, and the seeds only take some 7-21 days to germinate.

Lovely cut flowers

Both the colour and the scent make them wonderful indoor vase flowers – but honestly I just love sniffing and looking at them in the garden. 

Bee & pollinators make a “bee-line”

Bees of all shapes and sizes, and all our other other pollen loving flying friends, make a “bee-line” for these lovely flowers.
Because the pollen rich centres provide such a long and rich food source for essential pollinating insects.

Rabbit & deer resistant

Fortunately rabbits and deer don’t seem to like chocolate like we do.

Hardy & easy to grow perennial

Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’ is a hardy and easy to grow perennial that lasts for many years in the garden (like a Dahlia)
Compact dense, mounding growth 60-75cm. High x 30-45cm. Wide approx.
Absolutely covered with velvety burgundy-black blooms over summer and autumn.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Sow seeds of Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’ at any time of year indoors whenever suitable temperatures are available (21-24°C).
OR
Sow directly in the garden in spring & early summer.

Sow indoors for quick & early plants: First sow the seeds in a punnet on surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then cover the seed to a depth of approx. 6mm. with sieved mix or fine vermiculite.

Now stand the sown punnet in a shallow water bath and allow the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Drain, then place the moist punnet in a warm, well-lit position (but not in any direct sunlight as this will dry the seeds out and prevent germination).

Temperatures of 21-24°C are best for rapid and optimum germination.
You can use a heat mat to maintain warmth if you have one, but it is not essential as these seeds are willing germinators given warmth.

Continue to keep the sown punnet consistently moist by regularly misting from a spray water bottle as required.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic lid or plastic bag will also help to keep the punnet consistently moist and prevent drying out between mistings.

Seedlings emerge in approx. 14-21 days, and can even emerge in as little as 7 days.

Prick out germinated seedlings quickly into pots, as soon as they have developed their first set of true leaves.
So they don’t become weak and leggy.
And grow on ready to plant out in the garden.

Seed Count: 3 seeds per pack.
(Apologies – these are hideously expensive collector’s seeds).

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