Celosia

Celosia (/siːˈloʊʃiə/ see-LOH-shee-ə^[2]) is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. Its species are commonly known as woolflowers, or, if the flower heads are crested by fasciation, cockscombs.^[3] The plants are well known in East Africa's highlands and are used under their Swahili name, mfungu.

The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek word κήλεος (kḗleos), meaning "burning",^[4] and refers to the colourful flame-like flower heads.^[5]

The plant is an annual. Seed production in these species can be very high, 200–700 kg per hectare. One ounce of seed may contain up to 43,000 seeds. One thousand seeds can weigh 1.0–1.2 grams. Depending upon the location and fertility of the soil, blossoms can last 8–10 weeks.^{[citation needed]}

Celosia argentea var. argentea or Lagos spinach (a.k.a. quail grass, soko, celosia, feather cockscomb) is a broadleaf annual leaf vegetable. It grows widespread across Mexico, where it is known as "velvet flower", northern South America, tropical Africa, the West Indies, South, East and Southeast Asia where it is grown as a native or naturalized wildflower, and is cultivated as a nutritious leafy green vegetable. It is traditional fare in the countries of Central and West Africa, and is one of the leading leafy green vegetables in Nigeria, where it is known as "soko yokoto", meaning "make husbands fat and happy".^[6] In Spain it is known as "Rooster comb" because of its appearance.^{[citation needed]}

These leaves, young stems and young inflorescences are used for stew, as they soften up readily in cooking. The leaves also have a soft texture and a mild spinach-like taste.^{[citation needed]}

Despite its African origin (a claim that is not without dispute), Celosia is known as a foodstuff in Indonesia and India. Moreover, in the future it might become more widely eaten, especially in the hot and malnourished regions of the equatorial zone. In that regard, it has already been hailed as the often-wished-for vegetable that "grows like a weed without demanding all the tender loving care that other vegetables seem to need"; one person said of his time growing it as this: "Every place I have tried it, it grows with no work. We have had no disease problems and very little insect damage. It reseeds itself abundantly and new plants have come up in the immediate vicinity."^[7]

Flower of Celosia cristata

Woolflower or cockscomb—Celosia plumosa

Silver cockscomb Celosia argentea in Tirunelveli, India