In the spotlights
Feiko Sonneveld Quality Celosia is located in the Dutch town of Monster. It is a family owned business with real grower’s blood that that has being passed on through generations. In 1989 Feiko set up the nursery and started growing Asters and Chrysanthemums. In 1994 they started growing the ‘Plumosa’ Celosia series, and the love for this flower was born. In 2006 the greenhouse was renovated and it was at that point that the company chose to specialize in the cultivation of the ‘Act’ series Celosias in only one color. Feiko is nowadays growing up to five different colors of Celosias from the ‘Act’ series.
Growing this flower is not easy as the roots do not often fix themselves well in the soil and therefore die. In addition, Celosias hold many seeds in the head of the flower and as a result of this seed production it quickly suffers from blemishes or fungi making it a very sensitive flower to produce. However, the flowers of the Act series Celosias hold less seeds in its flower than the Bombay series so it is not as sensitive to produce.
Since 2016, the company is very active in biological control. Thanks to this, they kill two birds with one stone as while they get the spider pests under control, they also remain environmentally friendly.
The Celosias are propagated from seeds. Once the stem grows about 6cm tall the plant is then transplanted from a small pot into the ground. Then it takes about 8 weeks before it becomes a cuttable flower. The flowering of a Celosia is very different from most cut flowers. If we use the Chrysanthemum as an example, the Chrysanthemum blooms from the bud whereas the Celosia’s flower is always visible in a small size and it just become larger as the plant grows.
The green Celosia 'Act Verda' is the latest long lasting vase life with blemish-free Celosia that is in the spotlight of this week. Growers have waited a long time for a good green Celosia. It is a stately solid bright green flower that can be beautifully combined in sturdy bouquets.
Origin
The tough Celosia flower is also known as ‘Rooster comb' due to the coarse coloured flower in the form of a comb. There are also plumose variants of the Celosia which look softer. The plant originates from tropical areas, and is appreciated here for its bright colours. Several species of Celosias are also available in pot plant. The Green Celosia Act Verda is a Celosia cristata that has become a much-grown cut flower by breeders.
The name Celosia is derived from the Greek word Keleos. This means 'flame', which can be deduced from the shape and inflorescence. There are species of Celosia that are grown as leafy vegetables in Africa. Here the leaves are briefly cooked, such as spinach. The stems are also often cooked and eaten.
The Celosia stands for boldness. If you want to wish someone courage for an exciting event, a bunch of Celosias will fit in great!
Care
Most florists often remove all the Celosia leaves to make the comb stand out; however, this weakens the flower as the leaves function as its lungs. For a long lasting vase life it is better to leave a few leaves on the stem. Another reason of why florists would remove the leaves was that they claimed that they would turn yellow very quickly or rot. However, this was only true with earlier species. Nowadays it is not the case so leaving the leaves on the stem will remain beautiful for a longer period of time.
Besides that it is better not to remove the leaves, it is also important to refresh the vase regularly with clean water. Always add a drop of chlorine or cut flower food to the water. Does a Celosia still hang its head? Then it may be that the head is too heavy for the stem.
Taking care of the Celosia works the same as with the other cut flowers. Cut the bottom part of the stem in an angle and put flower food in the water. As Celosias need a lot of water, it is better not to use Oasis sponge as it will reduce the vase life of the flower.
Finally, this flower does not have to be cooled. If you want to cool it, it should not be colder than 10 degrees. When changing to warmer environments, pay attention to the condensation that can form. A Celosia can not tolerate this well and will therefore mold faster.
FloraPodium, 04 April 2018
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