Discover the most beautiful Types of Celosia and pick your favorite one out from the list to add an exquisite flair to the garden.
If you are looking for colorful annual flowering plants, then the brightly colored inflorescences of Celosia are what you should be adding to your garden. As the genus has more than 60 different species, we have picked out the best Types of Celosia for you!
Check out our article on growing Celosia here
Types of Celosia
1. Crested Coxcomb
Botanical Name: Celosia cristata
USDA Zone: 9-12
Best Varieties: Celosia Cristata Magenta, Giant red-crested cockscomb, Lemon-lime celocia cristata
This sculptural and decorative celosia variety looks like the crown of a rooster or hen! The word ‘Cristata’ implies ‘crested,’ and that is what flowers appear.
It blooms from late spring till frost in red to purple blossoms, and also pink, orange, blue, and yellow shades.
2. Plumed Celosia
Botanical Name: Celosia plumosa
USDA Zone: 10-11
This popular tender perennial features thick and large plumes that look like feathers in bright pink, red, orange, and yellow shades from spring to fall. The bright green leaves contrast well with plumes. It grows up to 6 inches to 2 feet tall.
3. Silver’s Cockscomb
Botanical Name: Celosia argentea
USDA Zone: 9-12
Best Varieties: Celosia Argentea chief orange, plumed cockscomb, celosia fresh look orange
This classic variety displays bright plumes in yellow, purple, red, and pink shades that look painted in artificial colors. It grows up to 2-3 feet tall with bright green foliage—the plant flowers in summer and fall.
4. Wheat Celosia
Botanical Name: Celosia spicata
USDA Zone: 10-11
Best Varieties: Feather Celosia and Ruby Parfait
Celosia Spicata is another famous tallest variety of coxcomb that shows off cylindrical to conical, tail of fox-like ‘fluffy’ plumes in silver, pink, purple, and magenta hues.
It flowers from early summer to mid-fall and grows up to 4-5 feet tall. The foliage is green that appears scattered in the branches.
5. Palmer’s Cockscomb
Botanical Name: Celosia palmeri
USDA Zone: 10-12
This celosia features ornamental, rich magenta purple-hued regular conical plumes; the deep green leaves are decorative. It grows up to 3 feet tall and flowers repeatedly throughout the year.
6. King Coral
Botanical Name: Celosia King Coral
USDA Zone:
King Coral displays the marvelous texture of immense blooms, each plant produces a king-sized coral pink velvety head.
7. Asian Garden
Botanical Name: Celosia argentea var. spicata ‘Asian Garden’
USDA Zone:
Asian gardens boast light to dark pink plumes, making a perfect addition to cottage gardens of summer annuals and cut flowers both fresh and dry.
8. Sylphid
Botanical Name: Celosia plumosa ‘Sylphid’
USDA Zone:
It bears long plumes of lime green blooms from January until frosts. This gorgeous cut flower makes a beautiful border plant.
9. Apricot Brandy
Botanical Name: Celosia plumosa ‘Apricot Brandy’
USDA Zone:
This 6-12 inch plant exhibit red-purple foliage and apricot-orange plumes. It gives a beautiful display as a hedge flower.
10. Cramer’s Amazon
Botanical Name: Celosia argentea cristata ‘Cramer’s Amazon’
USDA Zone:
Discovered in Peru by Ralph Cramer, it features violet-magenta-pink blooms on ruby-blushed stems lasting mid-summer to the end of fall.
11. Flamingo Feathers
Botanical Name: Celosia spicata ‘Flamingo Feathers’
USDA Zone:
This beautifully branched plant offers rose pink flower spikes over green leaves. It can grow up to 3-4 feet tall.
12. Red Velvet
Botanical Name: Celosia ‘Red Velvet’
USDA Zone:
Red velvet celosia is an annual cultivar that offers fuzzy blood-red erect blooms like a flower bouquet, it grows up to 10-18 inches tall.
13. Toreador
Botanical Name: Celosia cristata ‘Toreador’
USDA Zone:
It grows up to 18-20 inches tall and produces bright red 12-inch flower heads. This variety is admired for dried arrangements as they won’t lose their color.
14. Ruby Parfait
Botanical Name: Celosia ‘Ruby Parfait’
USDA Zone:
Also known as red fox and wheat celosia, the arrow-shaped, dark rose plumes with 2-3 inches textural flower spikes stand out in the flower garden with their exceptional charm and beauty.
