Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants
Annual Biennial

Celosia 'Century Red'
  • RHS AGM

cockscomb 'Century Red'

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

Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
1 year
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Red Green
Autumn Red
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H2
Botanical details
Family
Amaranthaceae
Native to the UK
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 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

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.