Celosia is a popular ornamental flower grown for its vividly colored plumes. But if you want to collect celosia seeds to grow new plants it helps to know what the seeds look like. This article provides an overview of celosia seed characteristics and how to identify harvest, and store them.
An Overview of Celosia Seed Features
Celosia seeds are tiny, flat and oval or disk-shaped. They have a smooth, shiny surface and are typically dark brown or black. Some distinguishing traits include
- Color: Very dark brown to black
- Size: 1-2mm long
- Shape: Oblong, flattened, and oval
- Texture: Glossy and smooth
- Weight: Extremely light at around 0.5-1mg per seed
The tiny seeds grow in dry, triangular celosia pods that appear after the flowers bloom. When the seeds are ready in late summer or fall, the pods shift from green to tan and split open. Each pod contains around 20-50 neatly arranged seeds.
Where Celosia Seeds Come From
Celosia flowers need to have bees, butterflies, and beetles pollinate the seeds so that they can grow into plants. The plume-shaped flowers are brightly colored, with shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, and purple.
After successful fertilization, it takes around 4-6 weeks for the seeds to fully develop. When mature, the pods dry and crack open to release the seeds to the wind or ground below. Plants grown from seed exhibit more genetic diversity versus cloned plants.
Appearance of Immature Celosia Seeds
Celosia pods that are still young and not ripe have seeds that look very small, green, and not fully developed. As the seeds get older, they get bigger and darker, eventually turning reddish-brown. When they are fully ripe, they are almost black.
Small dark dots can sometimes be seen in the pods before the seeds get fully big. But these dots are just infertile ovules not viable seeds. Only the successfully pollinated ovules will grow into plantable seeds.
Identifying When Celosia Seeds Are Ripe
Here are some signs that celosia seeds are mature and ready to be harvested:
- Seed pods turn from green to tan or brown
- Pods split open partly or completely
- Seeds are very dark brown or black
- Seeds detach easily from pods when touched
- Plants are flowering less and going dormant
For best viability, gather seeds once the pods are completely dry and split open on their own. Seeds collected too early tend to have poor germination rates.
Storing Harvested Celosia Seeds
Fresh celosia seeds have the highest germination percentages. However, the seeds can remain viable for 1-3 years if stored properly in a cool, dry place. To maintain viability:
- Allow seed pods to dry fully on the plants before harvesting
- Separate seeds from pods and chaff
- Place seeds in airtight containers in a refrigerator or dry, unheated room
- Avoid exposing seeds to heat, humidity, or direct sunlight
Ideal storage conditions keep the seeds dormant until ready to be sown. Always label containers with the seed variety and year collected.
Appearance of Non-Viable Celosia Seeds
Not all harvested celosia seeds will be viable or able to sprout. Non-viable seeds are typically smaller, lighter in color, misshapen, and lack the glossy seed coat. Old, moldy, damaged, or very lightweight seeds should be discarded.
A high percentage of non-viable seeds can indicate issues like poor pollination, not allowing seeds to fully mature before harvest, or improper storage conditions. Healthy, viable seeds will be plump and black.
How to Harvest Celosia Seeds
Follow these steps to collect celosia seeds at peak ripeness:
- Wait until seed pods turn brown and split partly or fully open.
- Cut flower stalks with very dry pods into a paper bag.
- Hang stalks to dry further and release seeds into the bag.
- Alternatively, rub pods between fingers over a container to separate seeds.
- Spread seeds out to dry fully before storing in airtight containers.
- Label with the celosia variety and year collected.
Viably stored seeds remain plantable for up to 3 years.
Growing Celosia from Harvested Seeds
Celosia seeds can be directly sown outdoors in spring after danger of frost has passed. For a head start, begin seeds indoors 6-8 weeks prior. Follow planting directions on the seed packet for spacing and depth. Celosia thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Allow the soil to partly dry out between waterings. Pinch back growing tips to encourage bushy, compact growth. Celosia is an annual flower in most regions. Collecting and storing seeds allows it to self-sow the following year.
Knowing what celosia seeds look like makes it easier to identify when they are mature and ready to harvest. With proper harvesting techniques and ideal storage conditions, celosia seeds can maintain high viability for sowing in future seasons. Growing celosia from your own harvested seeds is an economical way to continue brightening up the garden with this beautiful ornamental flower.
Recommended varieties The annual flower trial at the U of MN WCROC, Morris, is one of the largest in the Upper Midwest.
Annual celosia are evaluated as part of the U of M flower trials and research. Located at the WCROC in Morris, MN, the Horticulture Display Garden serves as an All-America Selections (AAS) Display Garden and Trail Grounds and provides the public an opportunity to view the newest superior performers.
The following annual celosia cultivars were rated good to excellent in our recent trials:
- Asian Garden
- Smart Look Red
- Prestige Scarlet
- New Look™
Celosia New Look™
Celosia perform best in garden beds and will often be stunted if grown in containers. They can be planted outdoors once soil temperatures are above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Plants should be spaced about 8-12 inches apart depending on cultivar. These are the following requirements for choosing a site for celosia:
- Must have full sun for 8+ hours a day. They perform best in a very warm location.
- Soil must be well drained. Heavy soils can be made to drain better by adding compost or sand.
- Celosia prefer soils with a pH of 6-6. 5 with a high organic matter content.
A general-purpose fertilizer with equal amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium should be incorporated into the soil at time of planting. To encourage new blooms, celosia should be fertilized once a month with a fertilizer that has more phosphorus than nitrogen after it has been planted.
Celosia require regular watering but do not overwater as they can tolerate dryer soil better than overly wet soil and too much water can kill the plant. Only water when the top 1-2 inches of soil are dry.
Pests and diseases are usually not an issue with this plant.
Other tips for abundant blooms and healthy plants:
- Support cockscomb plants that are taller so that the stem doesn’t break as the big flower head grows.
- Getting rid of old flowers on the plant will help it make more new ones.
- To stop the spread of disease, keep the soil’s surface clean.
How To Collect Celosia Seeds Harvest Store Save
FAQ
Will celosia reseed itself?
Yes, celosia can reseed itself, but it’s not guaranteed every year, and it depends on the climate and your gardening practices. Celosia is an annual plant, so it won’t naturally return from the roots each year.
Is celosia hard to grow from seed?
Celosia is so easy to grow from seed. It almost grows on it’s own straight out of the package. I think you should grow this annual plant from seeds because you can pick any variety that will look great in your garden.
Will Celosia come back every year?
Does celosia return year after year? No, Celosia are annual plants and will live only over a single growing season. But you can keep it in your garden by saving and sowing seeds from your plants each year.