Celosia cristata Fan Dance Purple - Crested Cock's-comb

Celosia cristata or Fan Dance Purple Celosia displays curious and flamboyant undulating inflorescences spread out like a fan, reminiscent of a rooster's comb. It is a plant native to tropical areas of the planet that is cultivated as an annual in our climates. Its rich colour, in deep fuchsia violet pink, combined with its velvety texture and unconventional shape, is a marvel. Its characteristic flowering, made up of curious crimped and curled inflorescences, lasts a long time and does not fade, even when dried. Its extravagant flowers can be used in flower beds and in bouquets. Easy to grow in the sun, in well-drained and moist soil.

Native to tropical and temperate regions of America and Asia, Celosia argentea ssp. cristata is an annual herbaceous plant of the Amaranthaceae family. It is cultivated for ornamental purposes, due to its unusual inflorescences resembling undulating crests, which have earned it the vernacular name of Cockscomb. In reality, it is a short-lived frost-tender perennial. It enjoys warmth as well as rich, moist, and well-drained soils.

This variety of Fan Dance Purple celosia reaches a height of 90 cm (35in) and a width of 55 cm (22in). Its astonishing flowering takes place in summer, from July to September, and can last until the first frost depending on the sowing date. The plant develops a single, more or less branched, channelled stem, with long triangular leaves, pointed at the tip, smooth, light green or sometimes tinged with red to violet. Long and sturdy, this stem firmly supports the large terminal flower. At the top of the stem, a compact inflorescence develops, spreading out like a fan, undulated or pleated, often with a velvety appearance. It consists of tiny flowers without petals, with coloured bracts. Each inflorescence, reaching up to 20 cm (8in) in diameter, can live up to 8 weeks. After pollination by pollinating insects, seeds form and easily germinate in light soil.

Cockscombs are theatrical flowers, with a dramatic temperament that expresses itself in bouquets or at the heart of perennial flower beds. They enhance the simple blooms of field daisies, accompany the blue stars of Asters or the delicate flowers of Cosmos. These plants make a sensation when planted in groups of 3 to 5 behind a carpet of ground cover plants like Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, with Wormwood Powis Castle or Stachys. In a vase, do not put too much water and change it frequently to prevent stem rotting.