I first planted this variety of Celosia from seed 5 years ago. It was very easy to start indoors, with good germination. I provided artificial light, and kept the lights just an inch above the seedlings, so they stayed strong and stocky, instead of getting leggy. They transplanted well once the ground and air temperatures were consistently warm.

It is a really stunning plant, with its deep burgundy foliage and almost neon magenta blooms. It will bloom all summer and up until the first frost here, giving a much-needed punch of color in those late autumn months when I don't have much blooming in my front flower beds. It is an annual, and self-seeds readily. I have at least a dozen of these plants volunteer each year, and I just transplant them to wherever I would like them. The seedlings come up with green leaves, but as the weather heats up, the stems turn red, and the leaves turn bronzy-purple.

This is one of the plants that draws the most compliments in my garden!

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