Celosia is a herbaceous plant from the Amaranth family. It is known for its soft and lush inflorescences with bright colors. The name of the flower is translated from Greek as "fiery", "burning." And really yellow, orange and burgundy panicles resemble flames. The birthplace of celosia is Africa and South Asia, where it forms thickets in human growth. In the garden, the plant should highlight a central position, as it attracts maximum attention.
Plant description
Celosia is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant or shrub with a height of 30-90 cm. Upright ribbed stems slightly branch. They are covered with a light green smooth or slightly rough bark. On the shoots, petiolate leaves are ovoid or oval in shape. They have a smooth bright green surface and solid or wavy edges. Sometimes there are varieties with variegated leaves, on the surface of which silver or pink stains are visible.
From July to the cold, celosia pleases with bright lush flowering. On the tops of the stems and in the axils of the upper leaves, multifloral inflorescences of a comb, spikelet or cirrus shape bloom. They consist of small bisexual flowers painted in pink, yellow, orange, burgundy or scarlet. In an inflorescence 10-25 cm tall, the flowers are very densely pressed against each other, so the presence of pedicels and the shape of a single corolla is very difficult to distinguish. Calyx consists of 3 bracts of bright color. In the center are 5 stamens, united by a membranous tube, and an elongated ovary.
After pollination by insects, the fruits ripen - polyspermous rounded capsules with a diameter of up to 4 mm. The upper part of the matured capsule, like a lid, opens and oblong seeds up to 2 mm long are poured out of it.
Types of Celosia
The genus of celosia has about 60 annual and perennial species and several decorative varieties that differ in size, shape of inflorescences and their color. Let's consider only some of them.
Silver celosia. An annual plant with juicy grassy shoots 45-100 cm high. Wide-oval or ovoid leaves on short petioles are located next to the entire length of the stem. In July, bright inflorescences bloom at the ends of the shoots. Their shape depends on the subspecies.
Celosia (silver) comb. Upright fleshy stems about 45 cm high are covered with large light green leaves and crowned with an umbrella or round inflorescence. In the inflorescence collected many small fluffy flowers. In the upper part, sinuous segments and fringe are visible, which are vaguely reminiscent of a cockscomb. For this variety got its name. The color of the inflorescences is bright red, burgundy or orange. They bloom in July and persist until October. Decorative varieties:
- Atropurpurea - a plant 20-25 cm tall has a pinkish-green stem and light green foliage, and a lush purple inflorescence adorns the top;
- Impress is a low plant with dark red large leaves and red inflorescence.
Celosia (silver) paniculata. A plant 20-100 cm tall consists of straight, weakly branched stems and large, smooth foliage of a light green hue. In July, high paniculate inflorescences of pink, red, yellow or orange color bloom above the thickets. Varieties:
- Golden Flitz - a plant up to 80 cm tall dissolves large orange-yellow panicles;
- Goldfeder - stunted with golden yellow flowers;
- New Look - a plant up to 40 cm high is covered with purple-violet foliage and blossoms yellowish-orange inflorescences.
Spikelet celosia. The plant is not yet so popular with gardeners. It grows up to 1.2 m high and dissolves thinner, spikelet-like inflorescences. They are painted in yellow and orange. Fading, the lower corollas acquire a silver hue.
Growing and planting
Most often, seeds are used to propagate celosia. So that celosia blooms sooner, seedlings are pre-grown. In late March, the seeds are soaked in hormones and growth stimulants ("Elin", "Zircon"). A mixture of vermiculite with humus soil is poured into shallow boxes. Seeds are evenly distributed on the surface of the soil. They are pressed into the plank, but not sprinkled on top. Crops are sprayed with water and covered with a film. They need to be germinated in a place with diffused bright light and a temperature of + 23 ... + 25 ° C. In order not to develop fungus, the greenhouse is aired daily and condensate is removed.
In a week, friendly sprouts appear, after which the film is removed. With the formation of two true leaves, the seedlings are dived into separate pots or in boxes with a distance of 5 cm. At the end of April, the temperature of the content is lowered to + 17 ... + 20 ° C. On warm days, seedlings are taken outside. When the likelihood of frost disappears, seedlings are planted in open ground, where a well-lit place without drafts is selected for plants.
The soil should be light, nutritious and well-drained. Soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction are best suited. Slag lime is added to the acidic ground during digging. Best of all, celosia takes root on soil composed of loam, sand, rotted manure and compost. Rhizomes of the plant are quite fragile, so they are planted together with peat pots or a lump of earth. The distance between plantings depends on the height of a particular variety and is 15-30 cm.
Plant care
Celosia requires great effort from a gardener. She really likes watering. On hot days, flowers are watered every 1-2 days. Only the topsoil should dry out, but water should not stagnate at the roots. The plant is thermophilic, it absolutely does not tolerate frost, but even a strong summer heat normally perceives. Flowering stops in the fall when the temperature drops to + 1 ... + 5 ° C. Such cold causes the death of the plant. If celosia is grown in containers, it must be brought in before the cold snap.
Even before transplanting into open ground, seedlings are fertilized with a mineral complex with a high content of nitrogen and phosphorus. In May, after planting in open ground, celosia is watered with mineral or organic fertilizing 1-2 times a month. Only rotted organics are suitable, otherwise celosia will die.
So that the air penetrates to the roots, the soil near the plants is periodically loosened and weeds are removed. High stems, although they are resistant, need a garter. Wind or heavy rain can break them.
Adult celosia is resistant to plant diseases, but young seedlings suffer from fungal diseases, especially from the black leg. It is important to control watering and prevent flooding of the soil. The surface of the soil is regularly loosened and mixed with wood ash. Aphids can settle on the stems and leaves of plants. They get rid of it with the help of insecticides. For those who do not like chemicals, spraying with a soap solution is suitable. All pest control procedures are performed in the evening, closer to sunset.
Use of celosia
Celosia strikes with unusual thick inflorescences that look good in single landings along a fence, a border or walls of houses. In bulk flower beds, it is located in the center or closer to the edge, depending on the height of the variety. Low-growing plants, especially combed celosia, are often planted in containers and flowerpots to decorate balconies and verandas, and are also used as a houseplant. The appearance of celosia is so bright that it is difficult for it to pick up partners in the flower garden. Plants with yellow flowers are sometimes combined with ageratum or cornflowers, and red flowers with white lobelia. All plants look good in the neighborhood with cereal or decorative deciduous crops. Even dried flowers retain their decorative effect, so they are often used to make dry compositions.
In addition to decorative, celosia has practical applications. Young shoots of celosia can be used as food. They are added to salads or side dishes. Also, celosia has healing properties. Tea is brewed from the dried leaves of the plant, which helps strengthen the immune system, fights some blood diseases and improves eyesight. Rinsing with a decoction of the oral cavity reduces inflammation and heals small wounds.
