Double Click Cranberries Cosmos Plants

• Variety: Cosmos bipinnatus 'Double Click Cranberries'
• Common name: Cosmos / Cosmea / Mexican Aster
• Type: Half-hardy annual
• Flower form: Double and semi-double
• Colour: Deep cranberry-red to carmine
• Height: 90–120 cm (36–48 in)
• Flowering period: June–October
• Position: Full sun (minimum 6 hours)
• Soil: Well-drained, ordinary to poor fertility
• Spacing: 30 cm (12 in)
• Good for cutting: Yes – excellent
• Container suitable: Yes, with support in a large pot
• Sold as: Jumbo plug seedlings, hand-sown by us
• Plant outdoors: After last frost (mid-May in most areas)
• Delivered: Late April to May by next-day courier. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Double Click Cranberries – Ruffled, Double, and Hugely Productive

Double Click Cranberries produces massed, ruffled blooms in a deep cranberry-red that borders on wine. The flowers are fully double or semi-double, reaching 8 cm across, with layered petals that give each bloom a complexity you do not see in single cosmos. The effect is closer to a small dahlia than a traditional cosmos, which is fitting since the two genera are close relatives. Both sit in the same tribe within the Asteraceae family, both originate from Mexico, and recent genome sequencing has confirmed just how near they are on the family tree. Cosmos bipinnatus has a genome roughly a quarter the size of a dahlia's, but the family resemblance is obvious when you look at a Double Click in full flower.

At 90–120 cm, Cranberries is a tall variety that needs support, but the height means long cutting stems and the productivity is remarkable. In a border, the dark berry tones carry well from a distance and the double form gives the flowers more visual weight than a single cosmos at the same size. Plant it a little way back in the border so the tall stems have room but keep it accessible for cutting. It is one of the most productive cut flowers you can grow per square foot of garden, and the deep colour is hard to find in other summer annuals. The ruffled doubles look almost as good at the end of their vase life as at the beginning, which is a useful quality in a cut flower.

Planting Partners for Cosmos Double Click Cranberries

The deep berry colour wants something pale alongside it. Double Click Snow Puff is the obvious partner within the series: same double form, same height, pure white. The two together have a formal, almost bridal quality in a vase, and in a border the dark cranberry against the white doubles is one of the strongest contrasts you can create with cosmos alone. Daydream (soft pink, single flowers) adds a tonal bridge if you want a three-colour drift that runs from dark through blush to pale.

For a cross-category combination, plant Cranberries behind a row of dahlias like Café au Lait or David Howard. The cosmos flowers above the dahlia foliage from July onwards, and the two overlap in the vase beautifully. Both love sun and well-drained soil, so the pairing works in practice.

Why Ashridge for Your Cosmos?

We grow all our cosmos ourselves at our Somerset nursery. No contract growing, no outside suppliers. We buy the best seed fresh each year and hand-sow every plug. Your plants are grown on and hardened off before dispatch. What you receive is a sturdy jumbo plug ready for the garden.

We dispatch by next-day courier from late April. Our plant guarantee covers anything that arrives damaged or fails to establish. Ring us with a question and you speak to the team who grew your plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall does Cosmos Double Click Cranberries grow?

Cranberries reaches 90–120 cm (3–4 ft). Support is advisable at this height. Horizontal netting at 30–40 cm is the most effective method for a group. Pea sticks work for smaller plantings. Put support in at planting time. For full growing advice, see our cosmos growing guide.

Is Cosmos Double Click Cranberries good for cutting?

Cranberries is an outstanding cut flower. The double blooms have more presence in a vase than single cosmos, and the deep berry colour is unusual among summer annuals. Cut in the morning, take the stem to the first leaf joint, and expect a vase life of 7–10 days. A dozen plants cut weekly will keep a household in flowers all summer.

What is the difference between the Double Click cosmos varieties?

We sell three Double Clicks: Cranberries (deep cranberry-red), Rose Bon Bon (soft rose-pink), and Snow Puff (pure white). All share the same double flower form and height range. The difference is colour. Planted as a trio they make a complete cutting garden row. Browse the full range in our cosmos collection.

Does Cosmos Double Click Cranberries need staking?

Yes. The double flowers are heavier than singles and the stems, while strong, can bow in heavy rain. Support from planting time prevents damage. Horizontal netting is the best method for a row or group.

Will my cosmos come back next year?

No. All garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), including the Double Click series, are half-hardy annuals and will not survive a UK winter. Cosmos occasionally self-seeds in mild areas, but seedlings from double varieties are unpredictable and often revert to single flowers. For reliable doubles, start fresh with named plugs each spring. If you are growing doubles in containers, see our guide to growing cosmos in pots for advice on compost and feeding.