Sorry. I couldn't resist the corny title. I love cotton. Sheets and clothing should be cotton. Cotton swabs are very useful. Cotton is fun and soft, and some don't even know that it comes from a plant. Indeed, when Germans first saw cotton imported from the Middle East and were told that it came from a plant, they conjured up a plant bearing tiny sheep, since surely the fibers were just a different type of wool. Even now, the word for cotton in German is baumwolle, which means tree wool.
We've long had a strain in the National Herb Garden with deep purplish leaves. It's a great annual for filling space and coping with heat and drought. In all the hot and humid weather we have had, it has grown lustily.
The flowers are nice, too, and have the good sense to contrast with the dark leaves. It would be too much for the cotton to be bright red, so it is the standard white color.
It's a wonder that such a tough and lovely plant has not found its way into our gardens more often. I guess there are a few reasons. It grows only from seeds, and they are best planted where they are to grow. It must only be planted when it really gets hot, June at the earliest in Washington, DC. The flowers don't sit proudly atop the foliage, and each one lasts just a day or two. Maybe someone needs to do some breeding for beauty here. And I guess those wishing to be self sufficient could easily make their own cotton balls.
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