Anybody like celosia?

Celosia is one of my favorite annuals, especially once the heads start to increase in size. I also love the bright colors and the fact that it starts to peak at a time when most annuals are losing their vigor. Here's one - - more pictures coming.

Here's another

and another

and a small burgandy one

To be honest, I've never been a fan of Celosia. But earlier this summer, I saw an image of what I think was 'Amigo Mahogany Red' in a gardening book (the authors called it 'Jewel Box Red', but images I found didn't match their picture.) At any rate, it looks similar to your last image there, with burgundy leaves nestling a deep red "crest", and my enthusiasm for Celosia was edged up a few notches. If I can find seed or plants of this variety next year, I may become a Celosia fan yet :o)

Yes, that last picture is Amigo Mahogany Red. It is a very small celosia with a big head and makes a good edging plant. See this picture.


There are many varieties of celosia and to be honest, many varieties self seed to the point, they come back thicker than grass. The smaller varieties and those with large heads are not as bad to self seed if you cut the heads prior to them maturing and releasing their seeds.

But it's one of those flowers that you like or you think it's tooooooo wierd.

Nathalyn, if you REALLY want to tempt a bunch of people, you might add these gorgeous images to the PDB. I know there's already an entry for Amigo Mahogany Red (because I added it, lolol); if you know the names of your others, I can help you get entries set up for them, too.

Terry, I will check my records to get the correct names and then when I have some time, I will check the PDB to see which ones need to be added. I had noticed that there are several plants that I have grown that aren't in the PDB.

If I need help adding to the PDB, I'll let you know.

I have grown the celosia spicatas, SoCal sent me seed from Pink Candle with a reddish foliage and a pink little plume. Last year I tried a different spicata that was green foliage and a pink plume.

Nathalyn I have love these beautiful plants since I was a child. They also bring back some wonderful memories of my mother. Here is a green one and a link to some of the others I have grown http://plantsdatabase.com/go/212/
I also have a yard full of them this year, these plants will always be in my garden. Take a look at the large one in the link near the bottom of the page.

This message was edited Thursday, Jul 31st 1:57 AM

I love all the celosia varieties. I bet the pink plume with reddish foliage was pretty.

Windsurffer - I bow before you, oh Queen of Celosia. I have had some big heads before - - but yours are the largest that I have seen. And I agree with you, I always have celosia somewhere in my garden. Nat

And in my garden! At least if the Windd keeps blowing them in *grin

Terry, when I first saw them 10 years ago (photo only) I thought "Eeewww, bloody brains!" LOL

Then when I saw them in person, I really liked some of them. And the bright red basketball ones are awesome in person! But when I see the photos in catalogues, my first thought is still "eeewww, bloody brains!"

(Note: Windd came and planted a few seeds of her seeds for me this spring :D

I LOVE IT!!! I got a sad looking flat of them late last summer from K-Mart. They did GREAT!!! Everybody said the flowers looked like velvet brains! This picture is from last summer.
I saved tons of seeds and started some in my basement for this year. The foliage is doing great, but the flowers aren't as full yet. Maybe there's still hope. Next year I'll try some different varieties thanks to your encouragement!

Celia, what a great photo! They look like roses! Great job growing and photographing them! I am impressed :)

Nathalyn that was last years picutre and the first time I've had any that big. The large red cockscomb seeds came from Germany and were passed down to this 90 year old woman by her mother. She was nice enough to share them with a friend of mine which in turn shared them with me.

Lupy I hope yours gets just as big :}

Celia that arrangement is just lovely, do you dry any of yours? Of course you know that I did dry the large one I had in the photo. I think I have just about all of them except the yellow/red, I will be getting that one next year.

Thanx! No, I never have much luck drying flowers.

Celia all you have to do to these plants is to put a small hole in the stem run a string through it, then hand them up side down in a dry place.
Here is one of my arrangement using cockscombs, I used my garden chair as the container.

Very beautiful!! Is this a dried arrangement? Thanx for the ifo on drying flowers.

No these were freshly picked.

Very beautiful arrangement - Windsurffer.

Out of curiosity, how tall did your plants get with the big heads? I have grown celosia that developed large heads but didn't like the fact that the plants got nearly 6 ft tall. It looked like I had a forest of celosia!

Mine get as tall as 5-5 1/2' but I don't mine because I have the tall and the short and love them all.

Got these for SASE on DG; they didn't germinate so wanted to use my good soil ~ dumped it in this planter. When they started coming up I thought they were weeds and started pulling them. Missed a few and they turned into this! What a fun surprise and now I am hooked!

Where is a good source to buy more of these?

With those big blooms, WindSurfer,
~ do you have to stake them?

TwinLakesChef - - it is very easy to collect the seeds off of celosia for next year. The heads or plumes can be cut and laid on newspaper to dry. The seeds ( and you will be amazed at how many there are) will fall on to the newspaper as the heads dry out. They will not germinate outside until the temperature get hot - - usually not until mid-June here in Tennessee.

If you know where you want them for next year, you can also just shake the heads over your ground, pat the seed into place (don't cover), and they will come back next year.

Only have the one I posted; love all those others; is there a place to order the seed?
Thanks, nathalyn!

Parkseed has a pretty good variety and good germination rates.

Thank you; will check them out

TLC I will be more happy to share my seeds with you, I have some of the ones you have in your photo above but you have to remind me.....old age ya know *giggle* take a look at this and let me know if you think it's the same one http://davesgarden.com/fp.php?pid=10922
I always put mine in a paper bag and let them shed their seeds in it, don't want to loose any lol.

Natha I would love to trade seeds with you for some of your yellow and red ones in the second photo above.

Windsurffer
Yours look red and fluffy
Mine are purple and not really fluffy.
By Fall I may have some other seeds you might like and we
can do some trades.I am definitely going to have Italian White Sunflowers. And am hoping for some other unusual seeds.
Nathalyn I will hope to have something to offer you to tempt you into a trade also.

You got a deal, but you have to remind me.

Oh, I won't let you forget! LOL

Big Grin!

TLC and WS - - I will be glad to send you some of my seed. I had not offered previously, as some of my heads on the small celosia are starting to rot due to all the rain (never seen anything like it). I cut those heads off and discarded them.

The taller ones in pictures 1 to 3 seem to be ok and I hope to get seed. I have the following colors: bright pink, orange, bright yellow (some heads on the yellow have red spots), and red plumed and crested (both have red leaves).

TLC, I have tons of seed that I collected last year if you would like me to send you some. Most of it was the larger(5 - 6 ft) crested and plumed magenta celosia. I like to mix the two different kinds - - but chose this year to plant smaller kinds.

I need to check my seed packets - - but I bet I still have some seed. If I do, I'll go ahead and send you both some. Nat

I have all but the red and yellow, I have plumed, crested both tall and short. I have orange, yellow, bright red and a dark red.

nathalyn, you have mail