What kind of growing environment does cockscomb (Celosia) like?

Aliases of cockscomb

Cockscomb, a herbaceous plant, has the following Chinese aliases: cockscomb crest flower, laolaihong, reed-flower cockscomb, pen cockscomb, small-head cockscomb, phoenix-tail cockscomb, large rooster flower, cockscomb root, red cockscomb.

Distribution of cockscomb

Cockscomb is native to Africa, tropical America and India, and is widely cultivated around the world as an annual herbaceous plant.

In China it is mainly distributed in Anhui, Beijing, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hong Kong, China, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, China, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang.

Growth habits of cockscomb

Cockscomb likes a warm and dry climate, is afraid of drought, likes sunlight, is not tolerant of waterlogging, and has no strict requirements for soil. It is a new approach for developing courtyard economy at present.

Morphological characteristics of cockscomb

Cockscomb is an upright herbaceous plant, about 30-80 cm tall, and the entire plant is hairless and stout.

The upper part of the plant is flattened, green or tinged with red, with raised ridges; the leaves are alternate, stalked, 5-13 cm long and 2-6 cm wide, with a gradually pointed or long pointed tip, a base that gradually narrows into a stalk, and entire margins.

Below the middle there are mostly flowers; the bracts, bracteoles and perianth segments are dry and membranous and persistent; the utricle is ovate and about 3 mm long, and when ripe the lid splits open, enclosed within the persistent perianth. The seeds are kidney-shaped, black, and somewhat glossy.

The leaves of cockscomb are ovate, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 2-6 cm wide; the flowers are numerous, very densely arranged, forming flat fleshy cockscomb-like, curled-crest-like or feathery spicate inflorescences; below one large inflorescence there are several smaller branches, conical-oblong, with a feathery surface.

The perianth segments are red, purple, yellow, orange, or alternating red and yellow. The flowering and fruiting period of cockscomb is July-September.