Mortellaro's Nursery
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Celosia
Celosia argentea
Celosia (Annual) is a vibrant, heat-loving plant prized for its unique, feathery or crested blooms in shades of red, yellow, orange, and pink. It thrives in Texas landscapes, offering season-long color from spring until the first frost. As a fast-growing annual, it is widely used in borders, containers, and mass plantings, where its bright flowers provide high-impact visual appeal.
Celosia prefers full sun and well-draining soil, tolerating both acidic and alkaline conditions. Once established, it is drought tolerant, though regular watering encourages stronger growth and more prolific blooms. It is deer resistant and attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies, making it an excellent addition to wildlife-friendly gardens.
Reaching a mature size of 12-18 inches tall and 10-12 inches wide, Celosia is ideal for compact plantings where space is limited. When planting in groups, spacing of 10-12 inches apart allows for proper air circulation and encourages healthy growth. Though it does not typically reseed reliably in Central Texas, occasional volunteer seedlings may appear the following season in favorable conditions.
As an annual in USDA Zones 2-11, Celosia thrives in warm climates but does not survive freezing temperatures. Once cold weather arrives, plants will die back and need to be replanted in spring for another season of blooms.
Cultivars
2025 'Bright Sparks Mix'
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Annual Color |
Flower Color:Varies |
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Height:24 Inches |
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Spread:12 Inches |
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Characteristics & Attributes
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Deer Tolerance
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Exposure
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Habit
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Soil pH Preference
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Water Needs
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Tolerates Poor Drainage
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