With their fluffy, vibrant plumes, Celosia (or Cockscomb) is a total showstopper in any garden, balcony, or patio. Because these beauties hail from the tropics, they’re pretty sensitive to the cold, which is why most of us treat them as annuals. But here’s a pro tip: if you’re willing to put in a little extra love, you can actually over winter your Celosia and keep the party going next year!
Celosia vs. The Big Chill
These stunning members of the Amaranth family originally come from tropical regions in Africa and Asia. That means our chilly winters are way too much for their bright flower heads to handle. If you’ve fallen in love with your plants and don’t want to buy new ones every spring, overwintering is the way to go.
Getting Your Celosia Through the Cold Months
Celosia starts feeling the nip as soon as autumn nights dip down to about 50°F (10°C). If it gets any colder than that, your plant won’t last long. To save it, you’ll need to move it indoors fairly early. You’ve got two main options for its winter home:
- Option 1: Keep it in a bright, warm spot (like a sunny windowsill).
- Option 2: Keep it in a cool, shadier spot at around 55-57°F (12-14°C).
Winter Care Tips
How you care for your plant depends on which “dormancy” path you choose. If you keep it in a warm room, it’ll stay active and need more water and nutrients. Always check that the soil has dried out a bit before watering. Since it might keep blooming, give it a little fertilizer every four weeks. Be sure to snip off any faded blooms so the plant doesn’t waste energy making seeds. Also, don’t forget to keep the humidity up—indoor air gets dry!
If you go with the cool-room method, your Celosia will likely drop its leaves and stop blooming. Don’t panic! Just trim away the dead bits. During this rest phase, only water it enough to keep the root ball from bone-dry, and skip the fertilizer entirely. Whatever you do, avoid soggy soil (root rot is the enemy!). Come April, you can move it back to a bright, warm spot. A fresh dose of fertilizer then will jumpstart its growth for the new season.
