Celosia 'Century Red'

RHS Plant Profile
cockscomb 'Century Red'

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Annual Biennial

A compact, upright plant usually grown as an annual with tightly-packed clumps of oval leaves topped with feathery plumes of bright red flowers on sturdy red stems to 30cm long from summer into early autumn

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H2

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Amaranthaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Celosia can be annuals, perennials or shrubs, with simple or lobed, alternate leaves and tiny, brightly coloured flowers in large, plume-like inflorescences. Many garden selections are closely related to C. argentea
Name Status
Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow indoors in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost, in full light with good ventilation. May be planted outdoors once risk of frost has passed, in a sunny, sheltered position in fertile, well-drained soil

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Bedding
  • Conservatory and greenhouse
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Cut flowers

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly

Diseases

May be susceptible to foot and root rot, and fungal leaf spot diseases