Other Names:  Cockscomb, Plume Celosia, Woolflower

Group/Class:  Kosmo Series

Brand:  Ball

Description:

Summer plumes of deep red-violet, set against the deep green foliage on a dense compact plant; produces a main stem at the base with many side spikes; a great container plant

Ornamental Features

Kosmo Purple Red Celosia features showy plumes of burgundy flowers with violet overtones rising above the foliage from early summer to mid fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its pointy leaves remain dark green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Kosmo Purple Red Celosia is a dense herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Kosmo Purple Red Celosia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Kosmo Purple Red Celosia will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 10 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 6 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Kosmo Purple Red Celosia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.