Celosia Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Celosia

Celosia argentea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Amaranthaceae
Genus:	Celosia L. (1753)
Species
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Celosia is a group of beautiful plants. They belong to the Amaranthaceae family. You can find these plants growing naturally in many parts of the world. This includes places like Eurasia, Africa, South America, and North America.

What are Celosia Plants Used For?
- Growing Celosia in Your Garden
- Eating Celosia as a Vegetable
How to Grow Celosia Plants
Types of Celosia Species
Images for kids
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What are Celosia Plants Used For?

Growing Celosia in Your Garden

Many people love to grow Celosia plants in their gardens. They are known as annuals, which means they complete their life cycle in one year. These plants produce a lot of seeds. A single ounce of seeds can have up to 43,000 tiny seeds!

The flowers of Celosia can last for a long time. They often stay beautiful for 8 to 10 weeks. One popular type, Celosia cristata, is a common garden plant. You can see it in China and many other countries.

Eating Celosia as a Vegetable

Some types of Celosia are also eaten as food. Celosia argentea var. argentea is one example. It is often called Lagos spinach or quail grass. This leafy green vegetable grows widely in many warm places.

You can find it in Mexico, where it's called "Velvet flower." It also grows in parts of South America, Africa, and Asia. In Nigeria, it's a very popular leafy green. People there call it ‘soko yokoto’. This means "make husbands fat and happy," because it's a tasty and nutritious food.

The unique flower of a Celosia cristata plant.

The leaves, young stems, and young flowers of Celosia are used in cooking. They become soft quickly when cooked. The leaves have a mild taste, a bit like spinach. People often add hot pepper, garlic, lime, and red palm oil to them. This makes a delicious side dish.

Celosia seeds are also used as a "pseudo-cereal." This means they are eaten like grains, but they are not true cereals.

How to Grow Celosia Plants

Celosia plants are quite easy to grow. Even though some people think they came from Africa, they are also eaten in Indonesia and India. Many experts believe Celosia could become a very important food source. This is especially true for warm areas where food is sometimes scarce.

Martin Price, an expert, says that Celosia "grows like a weed." It doesn't need a lot of special care. He also noted that he has not seen many disease or insect problems with it. The plant also reseeds itself easily. This means new plants often pop up nearby without any help.

A Silver Cockscomb Celosia argentea plant growing in Tirunelveli, India.

Celosia grows very well in humid places. It is the most used leafy plant in Nigeria. It thrives during the wet season. While other plants might get mold or mildew, Celosia keeps growing strong. Even though it's a simple plant, it does need a moderate amount of moisture in the soil to grow best.

Types of Celosia Species

There are more than 50 different kinds of Celosia plants! Here are some of the well-known species:

Celosia argentea
- Celosia argentea var. argentea
- Celosia argentea var. cristata (also known as Celosia cristata)
- Celosia argentea var. plumosa (also known as Celosia plumosa)
Celosia isertii (sometimes called Celosia laxa)
Celosia leptostachya
Celosia nitida
Celosia odorata
Celosia palmeri
Celosia spicata
Celosia trigyna
Celosia virgata