Celosia spicata Celway™ Terracotta | Wheat Celosia | Cut Flower
Celway™ Terracotta is an exceptional cut flower celosia with elegant, wheat-like flower spikes in a sophisticated blend of terracotta, rose-gold, copper and warm pink-bronze tones. The unusual metallic-looking colour adds warmth, texture and depth to bouquets and is especially beautiful in late-summer and autumn arrangements. The colour is commonly described as sitting between rose gold and copper.
Plants have an upright, productive habit with long, strong stems. One central spiky plume is surrounded by several smaller spikes, creating a full, textural appearance. Celway™ Terracotta is particularly valuable for cut flower production and performs well both under cover and in the field.
Plant Information
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Botanical name: Celosia spicata
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Series: Celway™
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Variety: Terracotta
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Common name: Wheat Celosia
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Flower colour: Terracotta, rose-gold, copper and pink-bronze
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Flower type: Slender, wheat-like spikes
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Life cycle: Annual
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Plant habit: Upright
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Plant height: approximately 102–122 cm
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Plant spacing: 15–30 cm
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Position: Full sun
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Blooming season: Summer
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Days to maturity: approximately 90–100 days
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Plug crop time: 2–3 weeks
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Transplant to finish: approximately 10–14 weeks
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Vase life: approximately 7–14 days
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Use: Fresh and dried cut flowers
PanAmerican Seed lists Celway™ Terracotta at approximately 102–122 cm tall and specifically notes that Terracotta performs particularly well in field production.
What Colour is Celway™ Terracotta?
Celway™ Terracotta has an unusual warm colour that sits between rose gold and copper, with soft pink-bronze and terracotta undertones.
Depending on the light and stage of flower development, the spikes can show subtle shades of:
- Terracotta
- Rose gold
- Warm copper
- Pink-bronze
- Muted apricot
This sophisticated colour works beautifully with cream, apricot, salmon, dusty pink, burgundy, chocolate and other warm autumnal tones.
How to Grow Celway™ Terracotta from Seed
For cut flower production, starting indoors and transplanting is recommended.
Sow approximately 6–8 weeks before planting outdoors. Sow the small seeds on the surface of a fine, moist seed-starting medium.
Celosia seeds require light for germination, so cover only very lightly or gently press the seeds into the surface. Keep evenly moist without waterlogging.
Germination
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Germination: approximately 8–14 days
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Temperature: approximately 21–27°C
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Light: Required for germination
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After germination: Provide plenty of light and good air circulation
Harden off seedlings gradually and transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.
Celosia loves warmth, so avoid planting seedlings outdoors too early.
Growing Information
Choose a warm, sunny position with fertile, moist but well-drained soil.
Space plants approximately 15–30 cm apart. Closer spacing is useful for cut flower production where long, straight stems are desired, while wider spacing gives plants more room to branch.
Celway™ is suitable for high-density professional production and develops strong stems with relatively small upper leaves, which makes the flowers particularly useful for harvesting and bouquet work.
Should Celway™ Terracotta Be Pinched?
Pinching is recommended when you want more branching and a greater number of cut flower stems from each plant.
When plants reach approximately 15 cm tall, remove the central growing tip. This encourages side shoots and increases the number of stems available for cutting.
Pinching can provide:
- More stems per plant
- Better branching
- More uniform flowers
- A larger cut flower harvest
For production of a strong central stem, plants can also be grown without pinching.
Harvest & Vase Life
Harvest Celway™ Terracotta when the flower spikes are well developed. PanAmerican Seed recommends harvesting when more than half of the flowers are completely open.
The expected vase life is approximately 7–14 days.
For drying, harvest at a similar stage, remove the foliage and hang the stems upside down in a dark, dry and well-ventilated place.
Celosia retains its distinctive shape particularly well when dried, making Celway™ Terracotta useful for both fresh seasonal bouquets and everlasting arrangements.
Celway™ Terracotta for Cut Flowers
Celosia Celway™ Terracotta is an outstanding variety for cut flower growers looking for sophisticated warm colours. Its shimmering rose-gold and copper-toned flower spikes add texture and an unusual colour dimension to bouquets.
The combination of strong stems, excellent field performance, distinctive colour and suitability for both fresh and dried arrangements makes Celway™ Terracotta particularly valuable for summer and autumn bouquets, wedding floristry and warm seasonal compositions
