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Celosia argentea cristata

Common name:	Common Cockscomb	Family:	Amaranthaceae
Author:	(L.)Kuntze.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:	Celosia cristata (L.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Pantropics.
Habitat:	Open moist places to elevations of 1600 metres in Nepal[272].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	C. argentea var. cristata[B,G,H,P] C. childsii[H] C. plumosa[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Boenga Tali [E], Chi Kuan [E], Cockscomb [H], Crested Cock's Comb [P], Crested Cock's-comb [B], Cresto De Gallo [H], Djawer Hajam [E], Djawer Kotok [E], Keito [E], Khoroz Ibigi [E], Makhmar [E], Rara Ajam [E], Rebha Mangsor [E], Urf Al Deek [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	argentea = silvery cristata = crested
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Caryophyllales. Amaranth family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China Iraq Japan Java Kurdistan Turkey

Physical Characteristics

Annual growing to 0.2m. It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

Leaves and young shoots - cooked[177, 178, 179]. Used as a vegetable[272].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antibacterial Astringent Haemostatic Hypotensive Ophthalmic Parasiticide.

The flower and seed is astringent, haemostatic, ophthalmic, parasiticide and poultice[147, 176, 178]. It is used in the treatment of bloody stool, haemorrhoid bleeding, uterine bleeding, leucorrhoea and diarrhoea[176]. As a parasiticide it is very effective against Trichomonas, a 20% extract can cause the Trichomonas to disappear in 15 minutes[176].
The seed is hypotensive and ophthalmic[176]. It is used in the treatment of bloodshot eyes, blurring of vision, cataracts and hypertension, but should not be used by people with glaucoma because it dilates the pupils[176]. The seed also has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Pseudomonas[176].

We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in a sunny sheltered position[200].
Widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, especially in S. Europe[50]. It is often used in summer bedding schemes[1]. There are many named varieties, selected for their ornamental value[200].

Propagation

Seed - sow early to mid spring in a warm greenhouse. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts. consider giving them some protection, such as a cloche, until they are growing away strongly.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

References for Celosia argentea var. cristata (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for Celosia cristata (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[V] Images from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
[W] Photos (common names, range) from the University of Washington Medicinal Herb Garden.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for the family Amaranthaceae.

[CHINA] Draft Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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