Cockscomb Celosia Celosia argentea

Cockscomb is an annual herb that grows to a height of about 3' tall.  This easy to grown plant makes an excellent cut flower.  It prefers full fun,  rich, moist, well-drained soil but tolerates poor, dry soil.  The stems grow fast but tend to have a weak structure.  The inflorescence absorbs water easily and becomes too heavy for weak stems in tall cultivar selections, causing bending or breakage.  Staking the plants helps.  Regular watering of the root zone is a must as a lack of water will make the leaves appear wilted.  A trend in the green industry to address both of these problems in last few decades has been to select shorter members & move to dwarf selections. 

Since inflorescence color does not come from the corolla, inflorescences can be cut, hung to dry, and it retains an attractive color when utilized as dried flowers or in floral arrangements. 

This plant tolerates dry porous soils.  Plant it in border fronts, edging, or cut flower gardens.

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.

Quick ID Hints:

• Terminal inflorescence with cockscomb sometimes present
• Terminal plumose or finger-like spike inflorescence
• Inflorescence globose, resembling brain coral

Cultivar groups inflorescence:

Childsii Group - terminal inflorescence of globose, bosses consisting of numerous, congested cockscombs; bosses resembles brain coral. 

Cristata Group - terminal inflorescence of several erect, flattened, broad, cristate cockscombs. 

Nana Group - name not retained as there are several cultivar selections of dwarf forms in other groups. 

Plumosa Group - terminal infloirescence of erect, tapering upward, plumose or feathery inflorescences; central axis bearing elongate lateral branches spreading ascending, branches getting shorter upward. 

Spicata Group - metallic pink or yellow in slender heads; central axis bearing very short lateral branches; resembling one or more raised fingers. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious pest nor disease problems. Rain and high humidity will cause flowers to rot. This plant is frequently damaged by deer.