Q: Have you seen or tried to grow cockscomb celosia? The flower looks like a fuzzy brain and is red or yellow. I have some seeds from a bouquet given to me and I’d like to cultivate them. What are your recommendations?

A: Celosia is an annual flower that has three distinct flower forms: plumosa , spicata and cristata. As the names imply, plumosa flowers are tall and feathery; spicata flowers are narrow and spiky. Cristata flowers remind many gardeners of convoluted brains. Save the seed that fall from your bouquet flower and keep them cool and dry until next spring. Plant in a sunny bed when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 55 degrees F.