Celosia

Incredibly showy, Celosia is prized by gardeners for its flamboyant summer flowers. Blooming its heart out over a long season, this tropical annual or perennial plant is easy to grow, tolerates heat and humidity, and attracts beneficial insects to the garden, making Celosia a wonderful companion plant for vegetables. To double the pleasure, Celosia makes excellent cut flowers that can be enjoyed in a vase or in everlasting bouquets.

All you need to know about Celosia

• Celosia is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae, native to Africa, North America, and South America.
   
• Native to Tropical Africa, Celosia argentea is popular among gardeners. There are 3 main types of Celosia based on flower structure.
   
• Cristata group (Cockscomb) with eye-catching crested flowers that are highly appreciated by horticulturists for their distinctive coral-like appearance. They are available in red, orange, yellow, pink, magenta and some are even bicolor. The flowers are often large and heavy and require staking. They grow up to 12-36 inches tall (30-90 cm).
   
• Plumosa group (Plume Celosia, Feather Celosia) with soft feathery flowers perched atop the plants. Colors include red, orange, yellow, pink, and magenta. They grow between 8-24 inches tall (20-60 cm).
   
• Spicata group (Wheat Celosia) with flower spikes reminiscent of wheat grass seed heads. The flower spikes may be red, pink, purple, or bi-colored, and often develop a metallic silver sheen on the calyxes. They grow up to 12-36 inches tall (30-90 cm).
   
• Celosia leaves are generally spear-shaped bright green. Some varieties display very attractive burgundy foliage, which deepens in color in the full summer sun.