Cosmos

Quote: Mat. 6:28 - 29 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the fields grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these."

Autumn has arrived in this part of the world, mornings have definite chill about them and it's not so easy to get up. Another sure sign is when the Cosmos flower. Here in South Africa Cosmos flowers in April/May. The Cosmos flower belongs to the family of plants known as Compositae. There are 20 known species of Cosmos flowers all native to South America, from Paraguay northwards, Central America, Mexico, Southern United States, Arizona and Florida. The most species are found in Mexico.

Cosmos prefers dry, hot climates and grow best in poor soil. In South Africa you find them growing profusely along gravel country roads.

The Cosmos flower seeds arrived here during the Anglo/Boer War of 1899 - 1902, when the invading British forces imported horse feed from South America, Mexico and the United States. Another plant that arrived at the same time is the tumble weed.

Spanish priest working on mission stations in Mexico named the flower cosmos. Cosmos refers to an oderly or harmonious system. When you look at this unpretentious flower, you see orderly and harmonious design.

These photos below I took just 50 meters away from my cottage, where road construction crews built a new drainage system for the N3 highway. All the top soil was scraped away, creating ideal conditions for cosmos. Where did the seed come from? I really couldn't tell you.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Some cosmos plants growing just below the embankment of the N3 highway.

A closer shot of the same clump of flowers. Note the bare patch of soil in the right foreground.

Perfection in symplicity.

Source: NIV & Wikipedea. Photos my own.