Celosia cristata - Woolflowers - Cockscombs

Funny names for this interesting plant. It really looks more like an animal, or an underwater anemone, rather than a flower. I did not expect to meet these flowers in the forest. Someone planted them there. This plant is not customary for our latitudes and can only be found on private lawns.

Celosia cristata, woolflowers, cockscombs - names of this plant.

Until today, I did not know that this is a cultivated plant, and a medicinal plant. I considered him to be purely decorative. appearances can be deceptive.

Stems and young shoots can be used as food. From the seeds of this plant, Tselosia is obtained, or, as it is also called amaranth oil.

In medicine, this plant is used as an anthelmintic agent. It is used in diseases of the blood, ulcers and to improve vision.

In our area, this plant is considered annual. This plant loves sunny areas, fertile soil and abundant watering. Where I found this plant, high humidity, it is good there.

Photos taken with a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 camera
Author @barski
Moldova