Growing Celosia Plants: A Guide to Varieties, Care, and Use

Looking for a textured pop of color that will add whimsy to your garden? Celosia plants might just be your new best friend! Wait until you see how easy it is to grow and enjoy with these simple tips.

If you’ve never grown celosia plant before, you are in for a treat today. It is such a unique flower that adds a lot of interest to the garden, as well as bouquets.

I’ve been growing it for quite some time and with each gardening season, I add more and more to the beds.

It’s a great flower for the landscape but looks equally beautiful in containers too. And while it blooms in summer, to me, it really shines as a must-have fall garden flower.

Wait until you see how easy celosia is to grow and how you can enjoy the blooms.

(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)

About Celosia Plants

The low-maintenance, high-impact celosia plant belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. Celosia is one of the most eye-catching flowering plants because of its 3 distinct shapes:  plumed, wheat, and cockscomb.

• Plumed varieties have multiple flower stalks and blooms with a feathery appearance. They are often between 8 and 24 inches tall.
• Wheat varieties have a singular flower stalk and look similar to the head of a grain crop. These are often between 12 and 36 inches tall and are the most limited in colors compared to the plumed and cockscomb varieties.
• Cockscomb or crested varieties have coral or brain-looking blooms that are often large and heavy so they must often be staked. They grow between 12 and 36 inches tall.

Celosia has a USDA hardiness zone of 10-11 so it is generally treated as an annual. However, in zones 9 to 11 celosia might surprise you by acting like a short-lived perennial. From my experience, and I’m in gardening zone 6a, this easy-care annual drops seed, self-sows, and returns yearly.

Which is a lovely treat! When we first moved here, I had no idea it was planted in years prior. So imagine my surprise as it emerged that first summer and leveled up my garden with its gorgeous flowers.

In order to thrive, Celosia needs 6-8 hours of full sun per day and should be planted in well-draining soil. Flowers appear beginning in early to mid-summer and the blooms continue through to fall.

Pests and diseases are usually not a problem with this hardy plant, but occasionally issues with snails and slugs can occur.

Celosia plants can also be susceptible to root rot which can easily be prevented by growing the plant in well-drained soil. 

6 Reasons You Should Grow Celosia

With its stunning looks and vibrant colors, celosia brings a plethora of benefits to your garden. Here’s why you should grow it this year.

Texture, Color, and Charm

At the heart of celosia’s appeal is its vibrant and diverse range of colors, texture, and shapes. Whether you’re a fan of fiery reds, sunny yellows, or soothing purples, celosia has a hue that’s for you.

Its unique forms, from plume-like to crested blooms, add a touch of whimsy, charm, and visual interest to the garden.

Easy-Care, Low-Maintenance

If you want to grow an easy-care, low-maintenance garden, the celosia plant is a great choice. It’s not fussy about soil conditions, thrives in sunny spots, and can handle a little neglect.

Plus, it’s relatively drought-tolerant once established, reducing the need for constant watering.

Pollinator Friendly

If you want to support pollinators, celosia’s nectar-rich flowers are like a five-star restaurant for butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects.

By welcoming these pollinators, you’re contributing to the health of your garden and the ecosystem as a whole.

Long-Lasting Blooms

Celosia’s blooms aren’t just a fleeting affair. These beauties have staying power! Whether you’re enjoying them in your garden or snipping them for indoor arrangements, celosia’s blooms will grace your space until the first frost.

They are cut and come again, so keep cutting to get more flowers.

Eye-Catching Cut Flowers

Speaking of arrangements, celosia flowers look incredible as cut flowers in arrangements. Its unique forms and vibrant colors add a touch of whimsy and elegance to bouquets and centerpieces.

To me, you can’t have too much of this plant because it looks amazing both in your home and out in the garden.

Creative Landscaping

Celosia’s diverse sizes, texture, and vibrant colors make it a versatile addition to your garden design. Whether you’re using compact varieties in borders, mid-sized ones in mixed beds, or towering types as focal points, celosia’s flexibility lets you get creative with your landscaping.

They can be grown in containers and look beautiful in mixed-fall garden planters. And if you want to preserve the blooms? The flowers dry with ease too!

Why Celosia is a Great Cut Flower

Ever wondered why celosia plant makes a great cut flower? Here’s why it is a popular cut flower garden bloom.

• The flowers last a long time, even after they are cut.
• Celosia plant flowers have a unique eye-catching appearance.
• They add lots of texture, color and interest to bouquets and centerpieces.
• The flowers are low-maintenance in a vase.
• You can use the flowers after they dry out in other home decor like wreaths, vintage crocks, milk glass vases, and other thrift store finds.

What Looks Good with Celosia in a Bouquet

There are lots of flowers that look beautiful with celosia in a bouquet, centerpiece, or other arrangement. Here are a few cut flower ideas that pair well.

• Dahlias
• Zinnias
• Snapdragons
• Strawflowers
• Calendula
• Amaranth
• And so many more!

Celosia FAQs

Cultivating these stunning blooms might raise questions, especially for beginners. In this section, I’ll address some frequently asked questions about growing celosia, providing you with insights and tips to nurture these remarkable plants with confidence.

Does celosia plant spread?

Celosia is known to exhibit some degree of reseeding in the right conditions. Here’s what you need to know:

• Seeds: As celosia plants mature and produce blooms, they also produce seeds. These seeds can fall to the ground or be carried by the wind.
• Self-Sowing: In some cases, celosia seeds that fall to the ground can germinate and grow into new plants on their own. This is known as self-sowing or natural reseeding.
• Climate Consideration: The likelihood of celosia reseeding can depend on your climate and growing conditions.

While celosia’s reseeding potential can be a delightful surprise, it’s also important to manage it to maintain a well-organized garden:

• Selective Deadheading: If you want to encourage reseeding, leave some spent blooms on the plant to allow them to go to seed. However, if you want to control reseeding, deadhead the flowers before they form seeds.
• Seed Collection: If you’d like to have more control over where and when celosia reseeds, you can collect the seeds from mature blooms and store them for intentional sowing in the next growing season.

Can celosia grow all year round?

These easy-to-grow flowering annuals are hardier in zones 10-11. Celosia plant flowers from mid-summer until the first frost in fall.

How do you keep celosias blooming?

To make the most of celosia’s summer blooms and extend its flowering performance, follow these tips:

• Location: A sunny, dry,  and warm location will keep celosia healthy and blooming.
• Deadheading: Regularly deadhead spent flowers to encourage the plant to keep producing new blooms.
• Fertilizing: Providing a balanced fertilizer during the growing season can help sustain the blooming period. I like to use a slow-release fertilizer like this.
• Watering: Consistent watering without overwatering will keep celosia hydrated and blooming. Only water when the top 1-2 inches of soil are dry.

Is celosia toxic to dogs?

Celosias are not poisonous to cats, dogs or humans. The plants can be kept in any home without any problems. In some regions, celosia is even used in medicine and cooking.

How do I propagate celosia?

Celosia is best propagated from seed.

To start them from seed, follow these easy tips. I like to start seed indoors to get a jump on the season.

Here’s how to do it.

Sowing Celosia Seeds Indoors

• Gather seed starting supplies. If you don’t have a greenhouse, find a location in your home where can spare the space.
• Start seeds indoors before the last frost date. Follow your seed packet directions for how many weeks before to sow them.
• Fill each of the cells or pots with pre-moistened seed starting soil. Pack it down to remove any air bubbles and gaps.
• Sow seeds according to seed packet directions. As a general rule, plant seeds twice their depth. Celosia seed is pretty small so I drop some on top of premoistened soil and cover with lightly vermiculite. (Note: Make sure you sow only one type of seed variety per tray because they germinate at different rates.)
• Drop 1-2 colosia seeds per cell and cover with vermiculite until the tray is full. It’s OK to cover with seed-starting soil, but vermiculite is easier for seedlings to grow through.
• Label your seed trays and/or individual pots. Cover seed trays with a clear plastic dome. Place trays on heat mats under grow lights.
• Set lights to be on for 14-16 hours per day. Using a timer works best for this.

Caring for Celosia Seedlings

• Check seedlings daily for germination. Usually takes about a week or so.
• When seeds begin to sprout, uncover and remove from heat mats. Don’t worry if they didn’t all sprout because more will germinate after the dome is removed.
• Place trays under the lights about an inch or so away from the tallest seedling. Keep an eye on seedling growth as you will need to adjust the lights as they grow.
• Always water from the bottom. If the seeds aren’t in a tray that has a water reservoir, sit them in a tray of water for about an hour so they can soak it up from the roots.
• After germination, take care of seedlings making sure they are not overwatered.
• Celosia seedlings can be susceptible to dampening off so let the soil dry out slightly between waterings.
• Harden off and transplant outside when temperatures after all danger of frost has passed.

While you can sow celosia seed indoors, it works equally as well if you direct sow them in the garden too. Simply follow your seed packet directions for when to sow them and plant accordingly.

In my zone 6a garden, celosia grows with ease, so either method works well.

How do I dry celosia?

Cut the flowers when they are fully developed in the early part of the day after the dew has dried.

For dried arrangements, remove all the leaves from the stems, wrap a rubber band around six to eight stems, and hang them upside down in a dark, cool, dry, airy space for several weeks or until fully dried.

They will last in dried arrangements for at least six months without losing any of their vibrancy.

Can celosia be grown in a container?

Growing celosia in containers is a brilliant solution for those who are short on garden space or are just beginning their gardening journey.

These vibrant blooms, with their striking plumes that come in an array of colors, bring a burst of life to any corner, deck, balcony, patio, porch, or other outdoor living space.

Celosia’s compact size and relatively low maintenance needs make it a perfect choice for container gardening. Their adaptability to small spaces allows urban gardeners to infuse color and charm into their surroundings, even without a traditional garden bed.

With well-draining soil, a sunny spot, and occasional watering, celosia can thrive in containers, adding a touch of whimsy and nature to any nook with minimal effort.

They make beautiful container plantings both on their own when combined with other plants that like the same sunny growing conditions. Celosia is a must-have plant in summer or fall plantings.

Favorite Celosia Varieties to Grow

There are so many different varieties of celosia to love. But here are a few of my favorites that I start from seed.

• Flamingo Feather
• Ruby Parfait
• Crystal Beauty
• Pampas Plume
• Cramer’s Rose

More About Growing Celosia Plant

Do you enjoy growing Celosia too? Have you ever started it from seed before? I would love to know more in the comments below.

And don’t miss joining my Gardening DIY and Decorating Community on Facebook for more chatter. And follow along there and on Instagram as well. There are behind-the-scenes daily things that I share on Instagram that don’t make it to the blog. Would love to see you there too!

If you prefer to binge-watch Bricks ’n Blooms on TV, we go more in-depth with tours and posts on my YouTube channel. Would love to hang out with you there!

And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.

Garden Supplies I Use

I’m often asked about the garden supplies and tools that I use most. From pruners to deer repellents, here are some of my favorites in no particular order.

• I like to use a good-quality garden soil, compost, and perlite when planting.
• I have used this deer repellent with great success. But now, I’m all about this deer repellent that is systemic instead of topical. This means the plant takes it in as opposed to it just smelling bad.
• Hands down this is my favorite hand-weeding tool. You can use to get underneath roots, loosen soil, and it cuts down on the weeding time because you work much faster.
• But I also love this long, stand-up weeding tool to really get around roses from afar.
• I like to use THIS ORGANIC FERTILIZER for roses because the blooms are more prolific and it’s organic.
• You’ll need a sharp set of pruners when working with plants and flowers. I buy a few so I can stash them around.
• Where pest and disease problems are concerned, I generally use this insecticidal soap or neem oil to help control infestations depending on the issue.
• This is my favorite set-and-forget slow-release fertilizer for houseplants, annuals, and container gardens.
• Whenever I stake my peonies or other plants, I generally use these grow through garden supports because they work really well and keep the blooms upright.

More Easy-Care Flowering Plants You Might Enjoy

If you’re seeking flowers that offer beauty without the hassle, there are several easy-care options that can effortlessly brighten up your garden or living space.

Wait until you see how easy and fun these blooms are to grow!

• How to Grow Lavender
• How to Grow Zinnias and Enjoy the Flowers
• Growing Snapdragons
• How to Grow Bearded Iris
• 5 Reasons You Should Grow Lenten Rose
• How to Grow Peonies
• Purple Coneflower Care
• Black Eyed Susans and Their Care

Sign Me Up!

Sign up for my free newsletter to get blog posts, seasonal tips, recipes, and more delivered straight to your inbox!

Plus, get free VIP access to my Resource Library where you’ll find insider freebies not readily available to the public.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

About Me

Want to learn more about me?

Get the inside scoop about my background, education, and experience, as well as why I started blogging.

Let’s Connect!

If you like this post, please follow me @bricksnblooms on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. Or join my Facebook Group.