Although the benefits of having flowers in your home go beyond just the aesthetics, such as the reduction in stress and the improvement in quality of sleep, the inherent beauty of flowers is appealing to all those who look at them. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand the fundamentals of potted plants that can elevate the look of any space you add them to.
In particular, we are looking at a specific type of potted plant today, i.e., Celosia Cristata. Here are some things you may want to keep in mind.
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What are some key facts about Celosia cristata?
Flower name: Cockscomb
Scientific name: Celosia cristata
Place of origin: Asia and Africa
Place of flowering: Garden, Cut flowers, flower arrangement, Horticultural species, Potted flower
Flowering season: June, July, August, September, October
Size: Although dependent on the species, the average size ranges from 6 inches to 3 feet tall (15 cm to 90 cm).
Potting soil: Both peat-based and/or compost-rich and well-drained soil work well.
Outdoor soil: If you want to plant Celosia outdoors, it is important to note that although the best type of soil for it is rich fertile organic soil, it can grow well in almost all types of soils. However, it can not last in hardened clay soil.
Soil pH: Cockscomb prefers soil pH levels between 6.0 and 7.0.
Light requirements indoors: Lots of bright indirect light.
Light requirements outdoors: Full Sun, at least 8 hours of bright sunlight each day.
Watering requirements: Never allow the soil to dry up completely. You must water it up to 3 to 4 times a week.
Fertilising: Once a month with a 3-1-2 NPK during the year and even more frequently, like every two weeks, when it is in bloom.
What is the common name of Celosia cristata?
The common name of Celosia cristata is plumed cockscomb or silver cock’s comb. This is because the tight clusters of the Celosia cristata bloom resemble like that of the rooster’s comb. Celosia cristata is available in colours including gold, pink, yellow, orange and red. These are easy to care flower plants and attracts butterflies because of the vibrant colour it has. Also, these are long lasting and are specially used in making of flower bouquets.
Is Celosia cristata annual or perennial?
Before knowing whether Celosia Cristata flowers are annual or perennial, let us know the meaning of perennial and annual plants. Perennial plants are plants that live for a period of two or more years. They are deciduous in nature meaning that while the stem dies in extreme cold, the root still exists and it in spring the plant becomes alive with new foliage and flowers.
On the other hand, annual plants are plants whose lifecycle completes in a year and then they die. Celosia Cristata plant depend on the sun for its warmth and growth and hence cannot survive the extreme cold. Hence, Celosia Cristata flower plants are mostly annual plants. In its native areas, Celosia Cristata flower plants are short lived perennial plants. In the United states of America, Celosia Cristata flower plants are perennial plants in zones 10-12.
What are the different varieties of Celosia cristata?
There are a lot of different varieties of Celosia cristata that can be recognised by their brightly coloured plumes that stick out from the centre of the foliage. Its identifiable inflorescence shape is also key to recognising the different varieties of the Celosia flowers. Moreover, since Celosia cristata is a herbaceous plant, it does not have a woody stem. On the other hand, the plant is made up of a straight unbranched stem.
There are many varieties of the Celosia flowers, such as Celosia Plumosa, Crested Coxcomb, Wheat Celosia, Celosia Argentea, Death Grass Celosia, Palmer’s Cockscomb, West Indian Cockscomb and Celosia Floribunda. The flowering shape and the colour of the flowers are the basic criteria that can help you differentiate between the varieties easily.
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How to identify Celosia Cristata flowers
The flowers of Celosia cristata are brightly coloured and bloom during the spring and summer. An interesting fact about Celosia cristata flowers is that they can retain all their colours even if they dry. Therefore, these flowers are a perfect fit for flower arrangements and are suitable for organic interior decorations.
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Celosia Cristata size
Although dependent on the species, the average size ranges from 6 inches to 3 feet tall (15 cm to 90 cm). The herb height ranges around 15 cm for dwarf species, 60-90 cm for native species and 100 cm for tall species.
Is Celosia Cristata harmful or toxic?
Celosia cristata does not release any kind of toxins. Any plant of the part is also not toxic to humans in case of ingestion. Therefore, it is completely safe to plant Celosia cristata in your home.
Can you eat Celosia Cristata?
Celosia cristata is high on nutrition and contains proteins, phosphorous, calcium,iron, and vitamin A and vitamin C. The leaves are used as vegetables in Central Africa and West Africa and they are mostly eaten when the Celosia cristata plant is young and tender, that is before the plant starts to produce flowers. Eaten in India and Indonesia as a delicacy, the stems of the Celosia cristata are boiled and make for a good appetizer or used extensively in stews and soups with other vegetables. Also, the seeds of Celosia Cristata yield edible oil.
Where does celosia grow best?
Celosia Cristata are easy to grow low maintenance plants. They need sunlight for their growth and warmth and hence are also annual in nature. Celosia Cristata grow very well in garden beds as compared to them growing pots. Note that while planting the Celosia Cristata, for their best growth, they need to have well-drained soil or else they will suffer a root rot. Celosia Cristata can be grown from both seed or from cuttings.
How to plant Celosia Cristata at home as a beginner?
There are certain things you need to be careful with while planting the Celosia Cristata. For instance, the space between plants so that Celosia Cristata can grow to its full size should be one of the more important details to notice.
The spacing between the plants is also dependent on the variety of the plant. For instance, varieties like Bombay can be planted as close as 6 inches apart. On the other hand, wider varieties like wheat and plume celosias are planted between 9 and 12 inches apart.
It is vital to give the plant at least 6-8 hours of sunlight every day and plant it in nutrient-rich soil to grow the plant in the best conditions. Basic fertilisers such as NPK are used in moderate amounts.
Maintenance tips for Celosia Cristata
Celosia Cristata requires virtually no maintenance, which makes it perfect for beginner plant parents. Some of the only things you need to be wary of are maintaining the moisture in the soil during the early plant establishment stages and providing the plant with a well-balanced (mostly equal parts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) fertiliser.
Benefits of having Celosia Cristata in your home
Celosia Cristata herbs have high medicinal and soothing effects. It can be used to heal uterine bleeding, bloody stool, and bleeding haemorrhoids, making it a vital plant in the world of natural healing. Parts of the plant, such as the flower, are used to improve diarrhoea and the leaves can be used as dressing for boils and sores.
FAQs
What are some common problems Celosia Cristata plants can face?
Celosia cristata plants can be highly susceptible to root rot, especially if planted in poorly drained soils.
What is the average lifespan of Celosia Cristata flowers?
The average Celosia Cristata flower can last up to 8 to 10 weeks.