Celosia

Celosia, genus of about 45 species of herbaceous plants in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), native to tropical America and Africa.
A number of species, including the cockscomb (Celosia cristata), are cultivated as garden ornamentals and are sometimes called woolflowers for their dense chaffy flower spikes that somewhat glisten.
Lagos spinach, or silver cockscomb (C.
argentea), is an important food crop in West Africa, where it is grown for its nutritious leafy greens.
Members of the genus are characterized by alternate simple or lobed leaves and small showy flowers in dense spikes.
The inflorescences of cultivated forms are often flattened or undulating and form compact or feathery clusters.
Many produce copious amounts of seeds and can readily reseed themselves in suitable growing conditions.
Celosia is a genus of edible and ornamental herbaceous annuals and perennials in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae) native to Africa, North America and South America.
Celosia spicata (= C.
argentea var.
spicata) is a summer annual or short-lived perennial (zones 9-11) grown as an ornamental for its distinctive, erect flower spikes sort of reminiscent of a sheaf of wheat that give it the common name of wheat celosia.
C.
argentea var.
argentea is also used as a leaf vegetable in tropical Africa, East and Southeast Asia and other places for the soft texture and mild spinach-like taste of the foliage.
Other species of celosia commonly used as annual ornamentals are C.
cristata (cockscomb), with a crested inflorescence, and C.
plumosa, with fluffy, plume-like inflorescences.
C.
spicata branches with many strong stems to form a bushy but open, upright plant up to 2 feet wide and 3 or more feet tall.
The alternate, medium to dark-green leaves may be mottled or tinged with burgundy.
The 2-6 inch long leaves are smooth and entire, oval or lance-shaped, and strongly veined.
Beginning in mid-summer, abundant erect cylindrical inflorescences are produced on the branch tips above the foliage.
The terminal spikes may be red, pink, purple or bi-colored and often develop a metallic silver sheen on the calyxes that remain after the flowers fade.
The hundreds of small flowers densely packed within each spike bloom from the bottom up and the spike continues to elongate as additional flowers open up along the spike so that early flower spikes can be many inches long by time the frost arrives.
Blooming continues until frost, but the plants are sturdy enough that they can remain upright and attractive through late fall.
The flowers are visited by bees, wasps, butterflies, and occasionally hummingbirds.
After the flowers fade, small, shiny black seeds are produced in the stiff pink to white or beige calyx that remains attractive even after the flowers are gone, so can be used as fresh or dried cut flowers (especially spikes 2-3 long; longer spikes often do not hold up as well).
Celosia is easily dried by hanging small bundles of flower stems upside down in a cool, dry room with good ventilation.
The seeds will fall out as they dry.
These plants will self-seed readily, and although the seedlings are easy to remove, it can become a weed as they set seed prolifically.
Use wheat celosia in annual or mixed beds and borders for vertical interest and contrast with mounded forms.
It can be used in masses for a blast of color, or in mixed containers as the thriller component

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