by Victoria Tiegert

Created on: December 15, 2011   Last Updated: December 20, 2011

Cockscomb flowers, also called brain celosia or wool flowers, are said to resemble the combs on the tops of rooster heads. They are known for their crested tops that come in brilliant colors of red, yellow, golden, pink, and orange. With stems that are 12 to 28 inches high, they are beautiful as cut flowers, but only last from one to two weeks when they are placed in water. One way to keep your cut cockscomb flowers around for a long time is to dry them, and they do dry marvelously.

To dry\your cockscomb flower cuttings, begin by gathering your cuttings when the flowers are in full bloom. Cut the flowers close to the bottom of the stem and then remove all of the leaves. Separate the flowers into groups of 5 to 8 to hang together.

The next step is to hang the cut flowers upside down in an area that is dark and dry, preferably pretty warm. The warmth will allow the flowers to dry quickly which will help them to keep as much of the color as possible. This is the beautiful look that you want in a dried flower. You certainly don’t want them to turn into brown cockscombs! You can hang them by putting an elastic around the stems and attaching it to the top of a wire coat hanger very easily. Then, hang the coat hanger itself. This method of hanging allows the flowers to hang in the open air rather than touching against a wall or any other object.

When you are allowing the flowers to hang and dry, the seeds will come out. They may drop on their own or you can remove them easily and gently by hand. Place a cheesecloth under the hanging flowers to catch the seeds and you can plant them the following year.

Once your flowers have been hanging for about 2 to 4 weeks, they will be ready to take down and use. Dried cockscomb flowers are gorgeous in floral arrangements, potpourri mixes, and a variety of craft projects. The reds are lovely during the Christmas season, whether placed as wrapping décor on gift packages or placed in the Christmas tree. There are a lot of ways that you can use your cockscomb flowers after they have been dried and having the seeds from your cuttings, you’ll have plenty for next year, as well.

sources:

flowerexperts.com

gardenweb.com

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