Flowers are a beautiful gift from nature, with different meanings, colors, shapes, and blossoming periods. In many countries, the most famous flowers found are rose, lotus, jasmine, lily, and marigold. Each kind of flower gives a soft and gorgeous look that attracts the eyes of a viewer. Their charming scent makes the surrounding air fresh. It is common to offer a bouquet to a lover or a special person to express precious feelings.
This article is about the cockscomb flower or Celosia cristata. It is a very graceful plant with a very special inflorescence; it has the form of a wavy crest, which gives it its name. It is an annual plant belonging to the genus Celosia from the Amaranthaceae in the phylogenetic classification. This plant is native from temperate regions of America and Asia. It is mainly cultivated as an ornamental plant for its spectacular flowering.
In this article, the following points are going to be discovered:
* Description of the cockscomb flower
* Few facts about the celosia genus and the cockscomb
* How to plant the cockscomb flower?
* How to maintain the cockscomb flower?
Description of the Cockscomb Flower
The cockscomb flower is a tropical perennial, naturally found in America and Asia. They are cultivated annually. They are particularly aesthetic and have the advantage of highlighting the amazing flowering with their original form. There are varieties with yellow, orange, red, and even purple colors.
This beautiful flower is a single-stemmed plant about 20 cm long, pointed, with light green leaves sometimes tinged with red or purple, from which emerges a crested inflorescence, similar to a cockscomb. It is compact, pleated, or wavy. Its flowering spreads from June until frost, and an inflorescence can last about eight weeks.
The main use of this plant is for decoration because it has a spectacular flowering. Horticulturalists are very fond of its original shape of inflorescence in the form of a wavy crest, which earns it the nickname of “rooster crest.” You can also use this flower to embellish your bouquets and deliver a message of passionate love.
A Few Facts About the Celosia Genus and the Cockscomb
There are more than 50 species for the celosia in total. One of the most famous is the Plumosa group with pyramidal inflorescences in plumes of 10 to 25 cm high, among with Celosia argentea var. plumosa with spiky, erect flowers in bright and varied colors. There is also the Cristata group, cockscomb, or velours-passe, with compact inflorescences, that are wavy and tense, standing 8 to 12 cm high.
The cockscomb is very decorative. The fresh flowers have very good resistance in a vase but you should not put too much water, and you need to replace it every day. The cockscomb is suitable and widely used for making dry bouquets, too. To dry the flowers, place the inflorescences in a shady place for two months.
The cockscomb flower is reputed in traditional African medicine to have medicinal properties against intestinal and hepatic disorders, as well as astringent, hemostatic, and antibacterial properties.
How to Plant the Cockscomb Flower?
The cockscomb flower appreciates the heat and the sun. It is difficult to sow them in the open ground; otherwise, the flowering would be too slow. It takes around 90 days to obtain an adult plant.
At first, you should sow it undercover, from the end of February or the beginning of March in a bright room.
Fill your pots with finely sieved potting soil, up to 1 cm from the top. Keep the temp at 15 – 18 ° C. Then, place two or three cockscomb seeds per scoop and cover with potting soil (always finely sieved) to the top of the scoop.
Place the pots in a mini greenhouse or a transparent plastic box or cover them with a plastic sheet to keep the soil moist. Always maintain the room temperature at around 20 degrees C. The germination of this plant can take between 10 and 15 days.
How to Maintain the Cockscomb Flower?
After sowing them in a box, under a hot shelter with the temperature around 20 degrees C, from February to March, the next step is to transplant them into individual pots when the seedlings have two leaves. The seeds are useful for future sowing. They keep their germination capacity for five years. The cockscomb flower is quite greedy with water, especially in the case of growing in pots or planters, which is why the soil should be always slightly moist. On the other hand, the water should not stagnate in the saucer. You can install mulch at its foot to help maintain the freshness of the soil.
It does not require any special maintenance. Cockscomb is a plant that appreciates frequent watering, especially from July to September. At the end of autumn, two solutions are available to you: you can simply tear off the plant, or you install them in a frost-free shelter.
Flowers have always been the nicest creation of Mother Nature. There are plenty of reasons to plant them in our garden or put them in our desk, office, or any empty spot. They have the incredible ability to change someone’s mood, and that is a good reason to offer them to impress or please your beloved ones. They can express whatever your heart may hide as feelings of affection, accompany you for all occasions, and mostly give an original touch to the garden and your flowerbeds.
Flowers are also widely used in several types of decorations and ornamental arts. That is the case of cockscomb flowers, which are known for their beautiful and original touch of wavy and colorful blooms.
The cockscomb does not ask for much care to grow; just make sure the substrate never dries, and water it very regularly. This can undeniably charm your beloved ones and visitors with the plant.
