I am confused by whether some, or all celosias are perennials in year long warm climates. Which celosias are perennials? I have a intenz classic and intenz deep purple and others. If one of them is a perennial is it ok to cut it back if the flowers start looking old and worn? How do you care for a perennial celosia?

Technically speaking, however, they are tender annuals, but they are perennial in Zones 10 to 12.

When the real cold weather comes I place them in our downstairs bathroom to keep warm. I just need to know how do you care for them like a perennial.

I think you will have to cut off old flowers to keep the plant going. All I have seen is one strong central stem, with ever more side shoots. Can you keep doing that and have a small non-woody "shrub?"

Things I know as "perennial" have a shorter bloom period, a growing period, the tops die when frozen, then regrow from the roots. Celosia seems to behave as annual, with continuous bloom to eventual exhaustion, or a freeze. I don't imagine Celosia would be very long lasting even kept from freezing, and flowers trimmed.

Maybe this wasn't very helpful, maybe Luke can explain a little more.

technically, I think you mean tender perennials, treated as annuals in colder zones. They can't be both. An annual is always an annual, blooms only the one year. There is no such thing as an annual perennial.

I decided to cut the flowers off my kelos orange and kelos red because they had become worn and unattractive. I will see if it grows new flowers in their place.

So far the kelos celosias have not shown growth since trimming. I was able to get replacement plants for my intenz dark purple and classic. I trimmed the classic I had to see if it continues to grow and flower, or just dies.

It appears my kelos are dieing so probably not perennials. My intenz classic was cut back and is still green, but has yet to show any new growth.

thanks for the updates

I tried these once when we first moved to Gainesville and they disappointed me. So I never tried them again. I wonder how they would act as terrarium plants?

So plant has problems now. It either has root rot, or is an annual because the plant is slowly turning brown. I have two more already and getting two in the mail. Can try again next year. One thing I was not aware about is how many celosias do reseed.

I live in zone 9a and plant celosia in the ground. It has a very long bloom season drops its seeds when I deadhead it and comes back the next year. I have some seedlings in the yard now. It seems to do the same thing at my daughters house in zone 8b.

I couldn;t find the cockscomb one I wanted only the 'dragon's great' type but I found a packet of seeds...I planted them directly into the terrarium and they have a sprouted. So we'll see....

Like Honey, I had a huge crop of self sown volunteer Celosia last summer, collected about a cupfull of seed (that is a WHOLE LOT of Celosia seed) and expect another volunteer crop this year, but did throw some seed out last week to be sure.
I suppose the original plant in question is a nice hybrid. But I always thought of Celosia as a cheap annual.