How to Grow Cockscomb

Celosia Germination Information

Celosia is the botanical name for Cockscomb
Celosia Seed Germination How to Sow Celosia:
  • When danger of frost is past, sow outdoors where plants are to grow
  • Indoors, sow 4 weeks prior to planting outside
  • Cover the seeds with 4 times their thickness in soil
  • Maintain 70-75° F within the medium during germination
  • Germination takes 10-15 days
  • Blooms arrive 12-14 weeks after starting seeds. Sowing too early can hurt flower performance
  • When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed

How to Grow Celosia:
Spacing: In spring, after danger of frost is past, space 6-18 inches apart in full sun in a well-drained, sandy soil rich in organic matter

Temperature:  It prefers warm climates with nights above 60° F

Soil: Keep soil evenly moist and feed plants moderately

Additional Care: Celosia transplants easily, requires no staking and tolerates heat and drought. Mulch in summer to keep the roots cool and retain moisture

Appearance and Use:

This trouble-free annual, with colorful blooms for cutting or drying, is used as an edging, in borders or beds, in containers or for greenhouse growth. Plants, growing 6- 36 inches tall and 8-12 inches wide, range from stately and stiffly branched to dwarf and compact. Tiny blooms of red, orange, yellow, pink, or purple are held in combs or spikes, 11/2- 21/4 inches wide. Soft, lush green foliage is oval- to lance-shape and can have a bronze appearance


Cristata group: The inforescence is terminal, flattened, and crested, resembling the comb of a rooster

Plumosa group: The blooms are erect, tapering and feather-like

Spicata group: Slender heads of blooms

About Celosia:
Pronunciation:  sel-o-se-ä  âr-jen’-te-ä
Lifecycle:  Annual
Origination: Amaranthaceae; native to the Tropics of Asia, Africa, and the Americas
Common Name:Cockscomb