Kelos® Fire Red Celosia

A true red plant for late summer containers and garden beds, Kelos® Fire Red Celosia or Cockscomb will light up tired and overgrown mixed planters just as the heat of summer sets in. The Kelos® line of Celosia spicata handles heat and humidity beautifully while producing loads of flower spikes up to the first frost in fall. The large, green leaves provide a fresh backdrop for flowers that never seem to stop blooming. 

Celosia is an easy annual plant, perfect to grow in mixed seasonal planters for a full and almost tropical look. Kelos® Fire Red is heat tolerant, pest and disease resistant, and rarely browsed by deer. Any damage to the foliage or flower buds regrows quickly. The vertical profile of Fire Red Celosia makes it an ideal thriller plant for planters, window boxes, and hanging baskets planted with smaller bedding annuals. Try growing it in a sunny garden border to fill in empty spots where spring and early summer perennials have finished blooming. Plant it at the front of a bed or along a walkway where the fluffy flowerheads can be enjoyed up close.

Kelos® Fire Red Celosia Care

Cockscomb enjoys full sun and well-draining soil. In a garden bed, add organic compost to the soil at planting or add a 2-inch layer of mulch to help the soil retain moisture longer between waterings. Container-grown plants thrive in an all-purpose peat-free potting mix that has added perlite to keep the soil lightweight but still moisture retentive. 

Apply a diluted liquid fertilizer at 2-3 week intervals throughout the growing season. Choose a formulation specifically made for blooming outdoor plants. Seaweed and fish emulsion products are good organic choices. Deadhead spent flower spikes regularly to encourage further blooming of your Kelos® Fire Red Celosia.

Cockscomb is a short-lived, tender perennial in USDA zones 10-11. In colder areas, it can grow indoors during the winter, although its lifespan is short. Celosia requires direct sun from a south-facing window or dedicated grow lights for up to 12 hours a day. Reduce watering to once a week and stop fertilizing in winter. 

Kelos® Fire Red Celosia Spacing

Kelos® Celosias are small but sturdy plants that reach 18 inches tall and 15 inches wide. Space plants about 10-12 inches apart, center on center, when planting them in large groups as bedding plants. A pot with at least a 14-inch diameter will comfortably hold 3 plants evenly spaced. 

Kelos® Fire Red Celosia Information