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Yes, this is a celosia—the wheat version.
Photo by L.A. Jackson
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Plumed celosias, or feather dusters?
Photo by L.A. Jackson
Ask a gardening friend to describe what celosia looks like, and don’t be surprised if a sputtering response is all you get. Celosia, like the beauty it is, is oftentimes in the eye of the beholder.
My opening gibberish might make celosia seem like some sort of shapeshifter. Actually, celosia comes in three common forms, each individually beautiful and definitely different from the others. Allow me to unclutter the confusion and introduce them to you:
Plumed (Celosia plumosa). This variety is the most common—so much so that gardeners can usually point to it and confidently say, “That’s celosia!” Plumed celosia shows off feathery flowers that look like they could be plucked and used for furniture dusters. Depending on the cultivar, they can grow between 8 and 24 inches tall, and all have flashy, wispy blooms that shine in bright hues of pink, red, purple, orange or yellow.
For even more visual zing, the plumed cultivar ‘New Look’ is worth the hunt. An All-America Selections winner (1988), it melds striking red plumes with simmering, sultry reddish-bronze foliage. ‘China Town’ and ‘Dragon’s Breath’ sport similar sass.
Wheat (Celosia spicata). This is my favorite celosia because it usually displays fuzzy, skinny, bottlebrush-like blooms, similar to our native liatris (another one of my faves). Its colors tend to be refined shades of purple, pink or red, which can help provide soothing visual relief to a busy mixed border. Heights for different wheat celosia selections range from 2 to 3 feet high.
‘Asian Garden’ (2017 AAS winner) is a popular wheat celosia pick with its bright pink spikes. Prefer a lighter shade of pink? The blushing blooms of the cultivar ‘Flamingo Feathers’ are a good choice.
Cockscomb (Celosia cristata). Here’s the really weird celosia. Some cultivars do sport flowers that, as advertised, kinda look like the crest of a fancy rooster, but others look like brains. No kidding. And colorful brains, too. They can shine in shades of sizzling yellow, dazzling red, simmering purple, snappy orange and even electric green.
‘Orange Queen Improved’ and ‘Prestige Scarlet’ (1997 AAS winner) are two common selections of this uncommon flower. Other equally odd cultivars are clustered in popular series such as “Neo,” “Chief” and “Brainiac,” whose spot-on descriptive name is, ahem, a no-brainer.
June in the garden
• Begin replenishing your bird bath’s water at least once or twice a week. To keep this fly-in refreshment stand clean, give it a good wiping about every two weeks. In addition, check the bird feeder after hard rains; if a soggy yuck has settled in the basin, clean it out and refill it with fresh, dry seed.
• Houseplants that are vacationing outside now enjoy the high summer humidity more than we do because it helps keep their leaves hydrated. Wiping your broad-leaf babies occasionally with a wet cloth will also add beneficial moisture to the foliage and even help prevent any bad bug egg-laying activities.
Tip of the month
Although celosias can be grown from seed, opting for transplants instead will get their flower shows going quicker. And you won’t have to look far to find them—celosia starter plants are rather common summer offerings at local garden centers. Typically grown as annuals, these deer-resistant pretties prefer full sun and organically rich, well-draining soil. In mass plantings, celosias will turn plenty of heads, but they can also help spiff up large container creations. Deadheading spent blossoms will encourage additional blooms. Finally, while celosia flowers are long-lasting, if you want them to last even longer, they can be easily dried.
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.