2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Celosia in our country is more often found as a houseplant, since it can live and develop at a temperature of at least 14 degrees Celsius. Its inflorescences, similar to cockscombs, cannot be served to the table, but young leaves are eaten in many countries
Genus Celosium
Plants of the genus Celosia are valued for their original flowers, which have chosen two elegant colors for themselves: red and yellow. They, like perky cockerels, ready at any moment to break loose and join the battle, proudly sit on peduncles or in the axils of green leaves. In a small-sized plant there is so much charm and brightness that it is impossible to remain indifferent to the creation of nature.
In its homeland, in the tropics, a plant can live in one place for many years. But, in our harsh lands, Celosia is grown as an annual plant. This adds magnetism and popularity to the flower, without being intimidated by the time spent caring for the plant. The result is worth it.
Two annual popular species
Of more than sixty species of celosia, two annual herbaceous species fell to our yard. Both species have the adjective “silvery” in their name, and the different shape of the flowers added to each species one more adjective: “comb” and “feathery”.
Celosia silvery comb
Silver crested celosia (Celosia argentea f. Cristata), which in Russia is affectionately called "Cockscomb", forms a bush of half-meter stems. Stems are covered with green or bronze broad-lanceolate leaves.
The entire summer season, if you plant the cellosia in open ground, protecting it from bad weather, the plant will delight with its bright amazing inflorescences. Yellow, purple, red, salmon small flowers, collected in dense inflorescences on a peduncle, which nature gave the shape of a cock's comb, are unique and irresistible.
For growing in pots, undersized forms were bred, the height of the bushes of which does not exceed a quarter of a meter.
Celosia silvery pinnate
Silver feathery celosia (Celosia argentea f. Plumose) is also called "Amaranth plumose". Indeed, a cursory glance at the inflorescences of celosia pinnate and amaranth, which we call "Shchiritsa", we can conclude that this is one and the same plant. But this is only at a cursory glance. Meticulous botanists see much sharper, and therefore planted these plants on different shelves.
Let me remind you that recently scientists put Shiritsa on the pedestal of the Panacea for disease and world hunger. Its reserves of substances useful to humans amaze the imagination, and its rather simple care during cultivation attracts more and more people who want to breed an assortment in the garden.
But, back to the feathery cellosis. The height of its bushes, as a rule, is 30-40 centimeters, but there are also tall varieties that take an example from the squid and grow up to meter heights.
The green leaves of celosia silvery pinnate have a lanceolate or ovoid shape. Large inflorescences-panicles, pleasing with bright colors, do not leave flower stalks from June to August.
Growing
We select a place for a tropical plant, illuminated, but not under the incinerating rays of the hot summer sun.
The soil for full growth should be fertile, non-acidic, preventing water from stagnating and producing parasitic microscopic fungi that love to feast on the roots and leaves of the plant.
We do not forget that celosia loves warmth, and therefore we plant it only after all the belated frost attacks are exhausted. Or we take protective measures.
Do not overdo it with watering, resorting more often to spraying that does not touch the inflorescences.
Reproduction
Propagated through seedlings, sowing seeds in February. The grown seedlings are planted in personal pots.
In areas with a mild climate, seeds are sown directly into open ground.
Diseases and pests
The gluttonous aphid, familiar to all, will not escape celusion.
When busting with soil moisture, it can be affected by fungal diseases.
With a lack of iron in the soil, it becomes sick with chlorosis.
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Celosia
Celosia (lat.Celosia) - a genus of heat-loving plants from the Amaranth family, distinguished by an amazing variety of bright inflorescences. Sometimes the appearance of inflorescences of one species is so far from others that doubt arises as to their belonging to one genus of plants.
Celosia Pinnate
Celosia pinnate is an annual herb that is also an attractive ornamental plant. She is one of the representatives of the Amaranth family. In the sixteenth century, the flower became famous in the European part of the world, where it immediately earned love and recognition in the circle of flower growers
