Flower-head of Cockscomb
March 26, 2020
Photographer: Menashe Davidson
Summary Author: Menashe Davidson
The cockscomb (Celosia argentea cristata) belongs to the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. The flower's name comes from the bloom's head resemblances to a rooster's comb. When in bloom, the flattened fan-shaped flower-head consists of hundreds of tiny individual flowers that grow on both sides of the bloom's fringe. Looking at it from above, the folded shape of the fringe appears as one big flower with many hairs growing out, about 2-3 mm in length (top photo).
A closer view below the head, (bottom photo) shows small, individual flowers growing at the base of the fringe. These flowers are lighter colored than the ones positioned higher up -- they bloom from bottom to top. If you look carefully, you may be able to distinguish stamens and pistils in the flowers open end. Note also the tightly packed, torpedo-shaped buds just below the fringe. Photos were taken on September 16, 2019, from my home garden in Rishon LeẔiyyon, Israel, Israel. Where flowers bloom, so does hope.