Celosia: types, best varieties, planting and care features

Celosia is a beautiful pot or garden plant that can become a real decoration of any flower bed. It can be an annual or perennial shrub, differing in height and even in the shape of the inflorescences. Anyway this representative of the amaranth family regularly receives the most admired epithets in her address... But few summer residents decide to grow it, because the plant is considered exotic and characteristic of African latitudes, and not at all for the Russian central zone.

What are silvery celosia and other types and varieties of flowers belonging to this family? How to choose the right climatic zone for their cultivation? Planting and caring for them in the open field, in flower beds and in pots, at home, have significant differences, which should be taken into account when choosing a variety. To understand this issue, it is worth studying all the features of cellosis in more detail.

Celosia is a genus of plants with the name of Greek origin, which has a unique appearance and bright colors of inflorescences. It belongs to the amaranth family, which also includes achirantes, amaranth, beets. In nature, there are more than 60 species of these plants, but only 2 of them are used for cultivation. This is largely due to the thermophilicity of celosi - it is found in South and North America, Africa, and Asian countries.

Celosia looks very attractive and decorative. It is characterized by the presence of shrub and herbaceous forms, including dwarf subspecies. Celosia refers to dried flowers; both annual and perennial species of this plant are distinguished by long flowering and long-term preservation of decorativeness.

Celosia is characterized by the following features:

• the stem is branched, erect;
• leaves are wide and long, lanceolate or ovate;
• arrangement of flowers - in the axils of the leaf or on the stem;
• the fruit is a box, has a diameter of 3-4 mm;
• height 30-90 cm depending on the type.

All plants of the genus are classified as edible, they are eaten in most places that make up the natural habitat. Young leaves and shoots, which are also widely used in traditional medicine, are safe for eating. Celosia blooms in early July and lasts until October (if conditions are favorable). In the future, its shoots can be used in bouquets as dried flowers.

In total, there are several types of celosia grown as a cultivated garden plant. All of them are highly adaptable, most often grown as annuals with planting from the seeds of plants of the previous year. In the southern regions, it is possible to plant shrub forms, but at the very first frosts, the plant risks dying. That is why herbaceous cellosis are most often found in the Russian climate.

Not the most popular with gardeners - the only exception is the Flamingo variety... Nevertheless, the spike-shaped form has its obvious advantages.For example, the height of the stems - it reaches 100-130 cm, which makes this species suitable for making bouquets and various decorative dry compositions. Hutton's celosia is highly branched, has an elongated pinnate leaf shape, is resistant to cold and drought.

Spike-shaped celosia do not differ in such a bright decorative effect, but they are also very good both in bouquets and in a cut for subsequent drying. One of the most famous varieties - "Flamingo Feathers", with a pale pink inflorescence base and a bright tip. The height of the stems exceeds 1 m.

The most common cultivated form of celosia. The silvery form is distinguished by fleshy oval leaves with a pronounced metallic sheen - it can also be copper, bronze or golden. All its varieties are usually subdivided into 2 categories.

• Plumosa. A form whose inflorescences resemble plumes on military headdresses. Lush panicles are grown for cutting and have fairly long stems.

• Cristata. Perennial form in tropical climates and annual in central Russia. It is characterized by an original comb-like shape, created from accrete inflorescences. The color variety is not limited - a mix of orange, red, yellow, purple “cocks combs” looks very elegant on a flower bed. In nature, Celosia cristata does not occur and is grown only in a cultured population.

This form of celosium is found in the form of a dwarf or undersized variety - the height of an adult flower does not exceed 65 cm. The sinuous comb edge of the fused inflorescence gives the plant a special decorative effect. The popular name "cock's comb" is especially common in relation to brightly colored varieties. The color scheme ranges from yellow and orange to pink, scarlet and crimson.

Among the popular varieties of celosia cristata are the following.

• Atropurpurea. The variety is distinguished by a magnificent combination of light green-green juicy foliage, pink stem and veins. Inflorescences are purple-red, luxuriously colored, abundantly pubescent.

• "Impress". One of the most famous forms, very decorative. The leaves have a dark purple hue, the inflorescences are deep burgundy, wine-red.

• Imperialis. A dwarf variety, the height of the stems does not exceed 25 cm. Shoots and leaves are painted in purple tones, there are deep red veins on the surface. The inflorescences also have a purple-burgundy color, closer to crimson.

• Coral Garden. A very beautiful variety of celosia, forming a complex-shaped composition in a flower bed. The height of the plants is small, reaching 25 cm, the mix is ​​formed from inflorescences of different shades, from orange to pink. The variety has a long flowering - from July to September.

• Cherry Coral. A miniature dwarf variety that grows up to 25 cm. The original shape of the inflorescences of a wine-red shade in combination with the lush green foliage looks very decorative on the flower bed.

Celosia plumosa also pleases with a variety of colors. There are several of its most popular varieties.

• "Pampas". Medium in height, the length of the stems reaches 70 cm. Differs in long flowering and a variety of colors. Paniculate inflorescences have all shades of autumn - from yellow and orange to red and crimson.

• "Caracas". Well suited for horticulture, flower beds and flower beds. The paniculate form with lush pyramidal inflorescences of a pink-purple hue reaches a height of 1 m.

• "Geisha". Dwarf form with compact, no more than 25 cm in height, stems. Panicles delight with a variety of shades.

• Feuerfeder. Variety up to 35 cm high, compact, is considered universal for home and outdoor planting.The shoots have a greenish-pink tone, the flowers are rich scarlet, the leaves are light.

• Goldfeder. Compact variety for planting in pots and flower beds. Differs in a golden-yellow shade of inflorescences.

• New Look. A popular variety with a stem height of 35-40 cm, well suited for garden cultivation. Bright scarlet panicles are favorably set off by purple foliage with a metallic sheen.

• Thomsoni Magnifica. One of the tallest varieties, providing the garden with an exquisite accent in its decoration. Stems reach 80 cm, straight. The pyramidal inflorescences are distinguished by a burgundy hue, which looks very decorative against the background of light pink-green leaves.

This list of varieties of paniculata is not exhausted. To choose a real decoration for your garden among them will not be difficult for both amateurs and professionals in the field of landscape design.

Celosia are plants that naturally prefer humid and hot climatic zones. In the conditions of the Russian central zone, even perennial forms can be grown exclusively as annuals due to an insufficiently long period of heat. For planting, it is recommended to choose areas with high insolation - on a hill or in an open area. In this case, the direct influence of drafts or stagnant water should be avoided. Both of these factors are detrimental to the delicate plant.

The temperature regime for cellosis in indoor cultivation should be from +16 to +22 degrees. The flower needs a lot of light, but it is not recommended to install it near heating devices. It is worth taking the flower into the house from the balcony and terrace if the outside temperature drops to dangerous values.

The preferences regarding the type of soil in exotic celosia are quite specific. She prefers low-acid, alkaline soils. If the site is highly acidic, you should pre-treat the planting site with lime. But organic matter is not worth adding.

It is equally important to pay attention to the optimal looseness of the soil. It is good if it is free-flowing and drained enough. If the soil is too heavy, sand and humus should be added to it. The prepared substrate should stand for at least 7 days. 2 days before the direct planting of the celosia, it is worth watering the area prepared for planting it with a solution of potassium permanganate.

When buying seedlings in a nursery, it is better to choose options in which the roots are placed in peat pots. So it will be less likely to damage them with careless exposure. In addition, such cellosis take root more easily, since they have a familiar formed environment around the root. If the transplant is carried out for plants sprouting from seeds, you should handle them as carefully and carefully as possible.

Regardless of whether it is planned to grow celosia in a pot at home or the seedlings are placed in containers for subsequent sending to the garden, with self-cultivation of this plant, it is imperative to regulate the density of crops. For this, the seedlings sown in the substrate are dived. The first transplant awaits young cellosis when 3 leaves appear. They are moved to another container with the same soil, deepened by 4-5 cm and the same distance is left between the individual shoots.

After making sure that the plants have taken root, you can feed with special formulations for flowering varieties. Further, the cellosis are already being prepared for transfer to open ground. To do this, they are again seated, but already in separate pots with a peat-humus mixture. Once the seedling is rooted, it is re-fed.

Transfer to open ground, grown from seeds or purchased as seedlings, will be ready to survive only after the complete cessation of night frosts. If transplanted too early, the flowers can simply freeze and die.You can transfer them to the open air no earlier than mid-May.

In regions with a protracted spring, hardening of cellosis can be carried out. For this, plants in pots and containers are taken outside for 2-3 hours a day. Gradually, the duration of the seedlings stay outside the home increases.

Celosia of tall varieties is placed in a flower bed at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. Dwarf ones can be planted closer, 15-20 cm between individual specimens. The sequence of actions will be as follows.

1. A small scoop is made in the soil for seedlings.
2. If the site has a high level of groundwater, a drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the hole.
3. Using the same tool, the plant is removed along with a lump of earth from the root zone, transferred to the hole.
4. The roots of the celosia placed in the hole are straightened.
5. The hole is filled with soil manually. It is unnecessary to use tools, you need to gradually cover the delicate roots with soil without damaging them. It is not necessary to tamp the ground, but it is recommended to avoid the formation of a "tubercle" on the surface, it will interfere with the proper flow of moisture to the roots during watering.

It is recommended to start growing cellosi in a pot in the spring. This period is most favorable for the transfer of plants to a new place of residence. A seedling bought in a container or an existing one, but in need of transplantation due to bare roots, is moved to a new place by reloading, trying not to damage the roots. A substrate with a loose structure is prepared in advance, the container is selected with large drainage holes. It is 1/3 filled with pebbles or expanded clay.

When transplanting a plant into a pot, it is very important not to damage the earthen ball. It is saved, then fresh soil is poured on top. After that, it is imperative to water the bush with warm water, then add the substrate again. After that, feeding the plant is contraindicated for 2 weeks, it is dangerous to expose it to sunlight.

Caring for cereals requires some effort on the part of the gardener. Both at home and in the open field, it needs to regulate the microclimate. The plant especially needs moisture. It is the watering that needs to be established especially carefully: both waterlogging and drying out of the soil are dangerous. In the absence of strong heat, you can bring water under the root every other day, always in the morning.

It is necessary to take care of the plant in flower beds and in pots not only with the help of watering. Weeding is obligatory - pests can get on the leaves from weeds. Fertilizing is also required. It is produced using a solution of mineral fertilizers - 15 g of the finished complex mixture is dissolved in 5 liters of water. The frequency of top dressing should be at least 1 time in 3 weeks.

If there is a high risk of frost, it is worth considering the possibility of sheltering a thermophilic plant. A mini-greenhouse will help to protect the capricious cellosis from death, will extend its flowering until autumn. When growing in containers, the plant is brought into the room when the atmospheric temperatures drop at night to +5 degrees.

Celosia of tall varieties on a long, up to 1 m, stem must be tied up. In strong winds, they easily break, receiving serious damage. Dwarf and miniature species do not require such efforts, they are perfectly protected by nature.

The main breeding method for all types of cellosis is growing from seeds. In order to prepare the selected planting material for transfer into the ground, mandatory preliminary soaking is used. An aqueous solution in a volume of 200 ml is prepared on the basis of growth stimulants - 1 drop of "Zircon" and "Epin" is enough. It takes at least 3 hours to keep the seed in such an environment.

Soaked seeds are sown indoors in prepared pots or containers from the last decade of March to the 3rd decade of April. The planting substrate is recommended to be based on vermiculite and humus, mixed in equal proportions. When sowing, the seeds are located at a distance from each other, they are slightly pressed to the surface of the soil, and then sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

The seedlings should be under the film for 7 days. During the germination period, the seeds are kept in the light, but away from direct sunlight, the optimum ambient temperature should be + 23-25 ​​degrees. The soil is periodically moistened, the film is removed, freed from condensation. In pot (indoor) growing, it is better to plant it immediately in separate pots, so as not to injure the roots in the future.

When germinating cellosis from seeds, it is recommended to provide it with an artificial extension of daylight hours, since in mid-spring it is not yet particularly long. Optimum will be the use of backlight for a period of 4-6 hours. With group sowing, picking of seedlings will also be required, since the seeds are small.

Annual plants are not propagated by cuttings. Even in the subtropics, when planting cut branches, there is a high risk that the resulting bush will differ from the parent.

To collect seeds on cellosis already growing on the site, it is imperative to carry out preliminary preparation. Planting material is taken from wilting inflorescences in the fall. Several seed pods must be separated from the plant with scissors and sent for some time to a dark place without access to moisture.

After waiting until the deposited inflorescences dry completely, you can proceed to the next stage. After placing a sheet of white paper, you need to shake the "box" with seeds properly. The spilled planting material will remain to be collected and set aside until preparation for sowing. He does not need additional processing. Seeds are collected only at the end of flowering - in October.

Celosia is a rather delicate plant that is sensitive to changes in conditions or care. In case of waterlogged soil or insufficiently high-quality drainage of the soil, it is threatened by root rot - a dangerous fungal disease, also known as "black leg". If the root is affected, you should try to save the plant by adjusting the frequency of watering, transplanting into a new substrate with a looser composition, adding wood ash.

Not good for celion and planting in overly acidic soil. Iron deficiency, characteristic of such soils, leads to the development of plant chlorosis. In this case, watering with preparations dissolved in water containing the necessary chemical elements can save the day.

When planted in open ground for cellosis, it is a great danger for aphids that suck out cell juices. With significant amounts of tissue damage, the plant may simply die. The pest can be destroyed by chemical treatment with aphicides. Among folk remedies, the use of a mixture of 1 cup of vegetable oil, 2 tsp is popular. liquid soap and 500 ml of water.

Celosia is a flowering plant that can completely transform the appearance of a flower bed or border. It is also used to decorate balconies, terraces, verandas, lobbies and halls. In this case, you should choose undersized plants, for example, cetacean. In this case, you can even keep the flower at home on the windowsill.

The comb-like shape also looks impressive in single plantings thanks to the densely located inflorescences. This property of celosia is actively used by specialists in the field of landscape design.The plant is planted in curbs, framed by fences and along the perimeter of the walls of the house. It can be used to frame a gazebo or other garden structure. If a voluminous flower garden is created, the celosia is placed in its central part or launched along the edge in a strip of 20-25 cm.

When deciding to plant other plants with cellulose, it is worth paying attention to the fact that it can be quite difficult to find a pair for her. Paniculate species are often combined with cereals or ornamental deciduous crops. A comb-like yellow color can be shaded with ageratum, cornflowers.

In landscape design, celosia, due to its bright beauty, is not left without attention.

• Celosia paniculata looks good in multi-colored plantings - bright combinations of leaves and inflorescences create a cheerful mood in the design of the site.

• Celosia spikelet of a rare color - white with a bright pink tip, can decorate any flower bed or balcony when planted in a container.

• In spectacular landscape compositions, comb celosia looks luxurious, its expressive outlines are harmoniously emphasized by lush leaves, textured moss, wood chips.

For information on how to grow and care for the plant, see the next video.