Cockscomb

Celosia argentea var. cristata

Cockscomb is an annual herb and is very common as a garden plant. The tightly clustered blooms are said to resemble a rooster's comb, thus the common name "cockscomb". Flower colors include red, yellow, orange, gold, and pink. The cockscombs are erect, branching plants with oval or lance-shaped, strongly veined leaves 2-6 in (5.1-15.2 cm) long and hundreds of tiny flowers packed in dense, brightly colored flowerheads which usually stand above the foliage. In south India, cockscombs are used extensively for the Onam "Pookkalam".

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