Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Cockscomb, Plume Celosia, Woolflower

Group/Class:  Kelos Series

Description:

A dense, compact variety that features brightly colored, feathery plumes of bright pink, rising above deep green foliage with bronze overtones; an impressive display massed in the garden or along borders; stunning in fresh cut arrangements or containers

Ornamental Features

Kelos® Atomic Celosia features showy plumes of pink flowers rising above the foliage from early summer to mid fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its pointy leaves remain dark green in colour with hints of coppery-bronze throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Kelos® Atomic 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.

Kelos® Atomic Celosia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Kelos® Atomic Celosia will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, 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.

Kelos® Atomic 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.