Celosia Kurume Series
Celosia cristata

FLOWER/GARDEN SIZE: Height 28 – 47 inches, cockscomb-type cut flower
NOVELTY CHARACTERISTICS: High tolerance of heat, drought and disease, large comb
MARKET USE: Excellent warm weather cut flower, good for home garden
CULTURAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
CONTAINER SIZE:
SOWING: 288 or larger cell tray
FINISH CONTAINER:
Cut flower use: space 4 – 6” for 2 to 3 inch heads, 6 – 8” for 3 to 4 inch heads; home
garden sales: 6-inch pots or gallons, multiple plants for containers 8-inches and larger
PLUG STAGE:
GERMINATION: Emergence 8-10 days / 70-75°F; cover seed lightly
EC (POUR THRU METHOD): Emergence to cotyledon expansion = <0.5 mS/cm
cotyledon expansion to plug finish = <1.0 mS/cm
PLUG FINISH TIME: 3—5 weeks in a 288 tray
FINISHING:
TRANSPLANT: 20-30 days after sowing
DAYS TO FLOWER FROM
SOWING: 60-70 days
TEMPERATURE: 70- 75°F day / 65 – 68°F night
EC: 1.0 – 2.6 mS/cm (pour thru method)
pH: 6.0—6.6
COMMON DISEASES/PESTS: Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora/Nematods, aphids
NOTES:
• Flowering is initiated by lengthening days; consistent daylength will keep plants growing vegetatively and will
delay flowering.
• Longer vegetative growth is important to produce good flower size. If long-day conditions can’t be
maintained due to time of year, lighting is necessary to prolong vegetative growth.
• When lighting, recommended daylength is 17 to 18 hours in total.
• Insufficient light intensity and low soil temperatures will slow growth.
• Calcium deficiency will cause stems to split.
• For outside cultivation, direct sowing is recommended with 2-3 seeds, thin after one month.
• To avoid root damage, transplant plugs early, at approximately 4 to 5 weeks.
• A-Rest, Cycocel, B-Nine, Bonzi & Sumagic have shown effectiveness if growing for pot sales.
• Dry is best for general watering practices, but excessively dry conditions in the seedling stages may result in
stress-related premature flowering.