In 1996 a magnificent new flower, Celosia Bombay Purple burst onto the scene as the first cutflower to be the recipient of the coveted Fleuroselect Gold Medal. The success of the exotic "Cocks Combs" with their striking form has provided another Gold Medal winner from Fleuroselect, the international organisation of flower breeders. The honour for 1998 goes to Celosia Bombay Yellow Gold, rightly earning its award for continuing improvement in uniformity and refinement of Celosia 'Bombay' with its exceptionally short cultivation time and high yield per m².

In detail

Celosia belongs to the Amaranthaceae family which originates in tropical Africa, explaining its preference for light and warmth. The Cristata group comprises of annuals with a distinctive cock's comb on a long stem. This flattened flower differentiates them from the plume shaped Celosia plumosa. Celosia cristata is particularly suitable for professional cutflower production. The exotic form and the distinctive colours are a challenge for every florist and consumer. A vase life of 3 weeks is no exception. Following Celosia 'Bombay Purple', already a Gold medallist in the Fleuroselect trials for its beauty, uniformity and productivity, Bombay Yellow Gold has now taken its place among the greats, being granted this highest award from the international organisation of flower breeders. With its perfectly triangular, handsome flowers this gold/yellow Celosia recorded an even higher score. The colour is less dominant than the purple variant leading to better combination possibilities with other flowers which by the way, it never ceases to outlive in the vase. As a dried flower Celosia also holds its colour well. In the colour spectrum of the Cock's Combs, 'Bombay Yellow Gold' is certainly a welcome addition, that will captivate the consumer with its distinctive shape, colour and possibilities. The high uniformity, growth rate and yield make 'Bombay' Celosias exceptionally suitable for greenhouse production. Cultivation is certainly viable for the right professional grower. Their exotic character may lead us to expect that 'Bombay' Celosias are exclusive items, but their proven productivity makes them available to the general public. Cutflower growers and florists will certainly be focusing in the right direction with their choice of Celosia 'Bombay Yellow Gold', an innovative flower with an exotic sounding name and the mark of style and craftsmanship.