Flamingo Feather – Celosia Seed

Early, easy-to-grow celosia adds sparkle to bouquets.
Uniform, upright plants produce tall, straight, sturdy stems with few leaves to strip away, making this an easy celosia to grow and harvest. Pale pink and rose spikes have a silvery shimmer. Comparable timing and form to Ruby Parfait but with taller, more upright plants and longer stems. Also available in organic seed.

Specs:

• Plant Height: 24–36″
• Packet: 100 seeds
• Avg. 25,000 seeds/oz

DAYS TO GERMINATION: 8-14 days at 70-80°F (21-27°C). Bottom water or mist lightly to avoid displacing seeds and soil.
SOWING: Transplant (recommended) – Sow into 72-cell flats or preferred seedling container 6-8 weeks before planting out. Light is required for germination; cover very lightly to hold seeds in place. Grow seedlings at 63-68°F (17-20°C). Harden off and transplant out after danger of frost. Direct seed – Only in locations with a long growing season. Sow 1/8″ deep, after last frost. Pinching is recommended to encourage branching. Low temperatures and less than 12 hours of light can cause premature flowering.
LIGHT PREFERENCE: Sun.
PLANT HEIGHT: Varies.
PLANT SPACING: 6-12″.
HARDINESS ZONES: Annual.
STEM LENGTH: 12-48″ depending on variety.
VASE LIFE: 7-14 days. Ideal storage temperature 36-41°F (2-5°C).
HARVEST: Celosia is exceptional as a cut flower and can be used both fresh and dried. Fresh – Harvest when the flowers are fully developed, and stems are firm at the base of the bloom. Dried – Harvest at the same stage of growth as you would for fresh flowers. Remove all the foliage and hang in a dark, well-ventilated location to dry.
SOIL REQUIREMENTS: Well-drained, moist, fertile soil high in organic matter. pH of 6.0-7.0 preferred.
USES: Excellent cut flower, fresh or dried. Borders, beds, and containers.
Note: Pinching is not necessary for all species of Celosia but is still recommended to increase branching (the number of stems and flowers produced) and uniform flower size. Pinching is highly recommended for C. cristata and C. plumosa. To pinch, when plants are 6–12″ tall, use your thumb and index finger or sterilized scissors to remove the growing point.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Celosia spp.
ALTERNATE NAMES: Cockscomb, crested cock’s comb, prince of Wales feather, prince feather, wheat celosia, red fox