Celosia

Cock's comb is a genus of annual or tender perennial plants in the Amaranthaceae (pigweed) family. The name comes from the Greek word kḗleos meaning burning and refers to the flame-like flowers. The flowers range in shape as plumes and crested types and colors and can be yellow, white, orange, pink and red. There are both tall and dwarf varieties.

Celosia tolerates most soils except heavy clay and does not like wet feet. They do best grown in full sun and well-drained soils.

Cleosias are showy long-blooming annuals that add a splash of color when planted en masse or as an accent in the garden and also do well in pots. They often will readily reseed so deadhead if this is not desirable.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Cleosias are resistant to most diseases and pests but mites, leaf spots, and stem rot can occur. The biggest problem stems from too wet soils and cold weather. 

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.