Celosia: plants, care & choice of varieties

Whether feather plume or cockscomb, they Celosia has different manifestations. This is what makes the variable plant so popular.

The fire (Celosia) are available in different shapes and colors, as bedding, balcony or indoor plants and even as cut flowers. Regardless of which variety and which location you choose - here you will find tips on planting and care.

Celosia: origin and characteristics

The genus Celosia, known to us as Brandschopf, comes from the tropical regions of Africa and South America. It belongs to the foxtail family (Amaranthaceae) and contains around 60 species. The herbaceous plants grow either upright or climbing and have simple, green leaves. If you think of the ornamental plant with us Celosia

speaks, is usually the silver firebug (Celosia argentea) meant in one of its variations. The spike-shaped inflorescences consist of many small individual flowers, which in some cultivated forms can also be arranged like a cockscomb or plume. There are varieties with flowers in a wide variety of colors. The flowering period extends from July to October. The one-year-old silver burnt head grows upright and becomes about 30 cm high, in its home country even up to 2 m. Depending on the location, the plume can be perennial or annual. If it is kept warm all year round as a houseplant, you can enjoy its flowering for several years.

Tip: In its regions of origin, celosia is also used as a food and medicinal plant, as the leaves contain vitamin C, among other things.

Is the Celosia bee-friendly? Bees and butterflies find food on the fire head, but it is Celosia not as attractive to insects as domestic flowering plants.

The most beautiful Celosia varieties and types

The Silver Brandschopf is available in many varieties with different flower colors. The shape of the flowers also differs in some cases, according to which we divide the Silver Brandschopf into three groups of varieties.

Plume (Celosia argentea var. plumosa)

The plume celosia is characterized by the typical, feather-like inflorescences. In reddish tones, the flower can also be reminiscent of a flame, which explains the name Brandschopf.

• ‘Deep Purple’: Develops bright purple flowers
• ‘Red Feather’: Has an intense, fiery red flower color
• 'Venezuela': This strain comes with pink flowers

Hahnenkamm (Celosia argentea var. cristata)

The HahnenkammCelosia has completely different flowers. As the name suggests, the individual flowers are arranged rather flat and form a kind of wave in the upper part, so that they are reminiscent of the crest of a rooster.

• "Hot Tropic": Here there are pink-colored flowers in a cockscomb look
• ‘Twisted Yellow’: The variety develops orange-yellow cockscomb flowers with a dark margin

Wheat celosia (Celosia argentea var. spicata)

Somewhat simpler in form is the group of varieties of wheatCelosia. The flower is smaller and usually a little more restrained in color than that of the other varieties. It is arranged in a narrow tail.

• ‘Flamingo Feather’: The flowers are pink-white and taper towards the top in an increasingly strong pink
• ‘Celway Lemon’: Here the flowers become rich yellow towards the top, while they appear more whitish at the bottom

Plant cockscomb

The fire head can be kept both in the room and outside. In both cases, the fire head should definitely be in a bright place, because light is important for flower formation. Direct sun is tolerated, but can cause the flowers to fade. That's why for that Celosia a bright location with lots of indirect light is ideal. In addition, the plant should be sheltered from the wind and warm at 16 to 21 ° C. It does not tolerate temperatures below 5 ° C. The tropical plant also benefits from high humidity.

If you want to plant a plume or cockscomb, it is best to use a bucket. So you can bring it into the house when it's cold or put it in a warm place. The sensitive taproot must be handled with particular care so that it does not inhibit growth. First, a drainage layer made of coarse material is laid before a layer of substrate is poured in. A high-quality, humus-rich substrate such as ours is suitable as soil Plantura organic universal soil. It is equipped with plenty of nutrients and, with its loose structure, offers the fire crested optimal growth conditions. The soil must always be kept evenly moist. If the substrate is too dry it can lead to premature flowering and shorter flowering times.

If the fire head is to be outside, it should only be planted from mid-May, since then there is usually no longer any risk of frost. He can't cope with cold temperatures. If the thermometer shows at least 10 ° C all day, you can plant the fire pot outside. A distance of 20 to 25 cm between the plants should be kept so that they develop well.

Tip: If you move your Celosia from inside to outside in spring, you should slowly get the plant used to the new conditions. It is then initially only placed in a partially shaded place for a few hours. Little by little you lengthen the time.

At a glance: plant the Hahnenkamm

• Location: Bright, with a lot of indirect light, sheltered from the wind and warm at 16 to 21 ° C
• Planting in the tub is recommended: drainage layer made of coarse material, humus-rich substrate with plenty of nutrients
• Plant outside: From mid-May at over 10 ° C all day, planting distance of 20 to 25 cm

Proper care of the Celosia

A few important steps in celosia care will help ensure that the plant produces magnificent flowers and stays healthy.

The water requirement of the Brandschopf is quite high. The substrate should never dry out, but always be kept evenly moist. Rainwater is ideal as irrigation water, but tap water is also tolerated. Any water that collects in the coaster will be removed after about fifteen minutes.

When it comes to fertilizing, the following applies to the fire mob: less is more. If the Celosia is excessively supplied with nutrients, this can affect the flower color, among other things. If the fire head is kept in the bucket, it should be given an organic liquid fertilizer such as ours every four weeks from May to September Plantura organic indoor & green plant fertilizer are supplied. Our mainly organic fertilizer not only promotes growth, but also strengthens the roots through the microorganisms it contains.

Cutting back is only necessary to a limited extent. As a rule, the growth of the fire cramp does not have to be restricted. However, by cutting out the withered inflorescences, the flowering period can be extended. In addition, the flowers are ideal as cut flowers. For this purpose, the flowers are best harvested when the inflorescences are almost fully developed. Then the cut flowers can be kept longer.

The plume is quite susceptible to an infestation through Thrips. These suck out the plant sap, so that tiny, punctual lightening occurs on the leaves. If the plant is not airy enough, it is also infested with hose fungi of the genus Botrytis possible.

Snails on the Celosia: The Celosia is not particularly interesting for snails - if the animals cannot find anything better in the area, the leaves of the plume can be nibbled on.

Is the Celosia hardy?

the Celosia is not hardy and must be brought indoors at temperatures below 10 ° C. Wintering is rather unusual and not that easy. It is possible to keep the fire head light and warm all year round and to water it a little more sparingly in winter and not to fertilize it. This works best in a greenhouse with lots of artificial plant light. However, it is easier to make use of the numerous seeds and to multiply the plume by sowing so that new plants will bloom in the next year.

Multiplication

The fire head is increased by sowing in the spring. First, a vessel with a drainage layer and growing substrate is prepared. For example, ours is suitable for this Plantura organic herb & seed compostwhich has been specially developed for growing seeds. Our peat-free soil contains fewer nutrients than our other substrates, so that root growth is stimulated. The seeds are then sown individually. Press the Brandschopf seeds only lightly and sprinkle them only very finely with sand to weigh down the seeds, because as Light germs the seeds must not be covered with soil. Optimal conditions can be achieved by putting a transparent plastic bag over the pot. At 20 to 22 ° C and constant humidity, it takes about two weeks for germination. A particularly bright place under sunlight promotes development. As the soil grows, the moisture in the soil can be slightly reduced and a little more fertilizer. Is the Celosia big enough, it can be repotted. The sensitive root should be treated with particular care.

Is the plume poisonous?

There Celosia- Species are not poisonous for cats, dogs or humans, the plants can easily be put in every apartment. In their countries of origin, Celosie is even used in medicine and in the kitchen.

Similar extraordinary flowers like that Celosia also forms the blood flower. It can also stand indoors and outdoors. How do you Plant and care for blood flower, we show in our article.