Our policy is to become a “total assortment player” worldwide in the crop Celosia. Up until now we’ve created many cut flower varieties in Celosia cristata, – spicata and – plumosa series. And many varieties in Celosia pot / bedding – spicata and – plumosa series.
But ! We also want to play a role in Celosia pot / bedding cristata and finally – after many years of breeding – we proudly present the first novelty in that type. And that is something really special, which creates a “WOW effect”.
This novelty is a stunning and very strong pot- and/or garden plant, that can resist both heat and bad weather. The combination of a strong stem, red colouring leafs with finally a blood red, huge comb on top makes “Dracula” very attractive for a long period and excellent for landscaping. Shortly after germination the plant turns blood red when standing in the sun. So…. long before the flower appears the novelty is already an attractive and eye catching plant. And then the flower appears and grows out to a huge blood red comb !
Some pictures of the amazing variety “Dracula” ( with an explanation ) :
This is a demo in an – unshaded – greenhouse of Panam seed in Venhuizen – Holland, summer 2015. The potzize is 17 cm / 7 inch. “Dracula” near flowering on the left (and Ice cream trials on the right).
Open field demo at Panam seed in Venhuizen – Holland, summer 2015.
Open field demo at Panam seed in Santa Paula – Cal. USA, summer 2015.
Detail of the open field demo at Panam seed in Santa Paula – Cal., USA, summer 2015.
Overview of a plants table with Celosia in Santa Paula – Cal., USA. In front the “Ice cream” series, with on the right the new “Ice cream salmon” and in the back “Dracula“ in two pot sizes.
*The novelty has also been tested on several other locations, like e.g. in Northern Italy, near Chicago, in Florida and in Texas and appears to be a very promising addition to the Celosia assortment.
Addition – April 7 , 2016 :
We’re happy to announce that the Pan Am Grower Facts are now available on the page >> > Growing info
* And the (translated) Dutch version is also available on the page >> > “Teeltinfo”.
Addition – April 18 , 2016 :
The American horticultural magazine “Grower Talks” has made a video at the California Spring Trials, where Celosia “Dracula” was presented – among other products – at Pan American Seed in Santa Paula.
The video begins with displaying several new Begonia varieties and after about two minutes Celosia cristata “Dracula” is shown.
To watch the video on You Tube, click the You Tube logo ( linked ) >> >
Addition – September 29 , 2016 :
Celosia cristata “Dracula” – send in by PanAmerican Seed – was number 1 in the visitor picks top 5 this summer at Rakers Trial Gardens in Litchfield – Michigan.
Below a screenshot of the Raker newsletter, a summary at the season closing.
*Need more evidence that this is an astonishing breakthrough in breeding …………….
It’s new, it’s something real different. People love it !
Addition / update – March 31 , 2017 : Celosia cristata “Dracula” was promising in one of the first – confidential – try outs in the open air during the autumn of 2015 in the South of Florida. Unfortunately a hurricane passing by damaged the trial and though “Dracula” is weather resistant, that was too much of course……..
Then there were several trials on other locations in 2016. One of them was at the MSU South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville ( near New Orleans ). The aim was to have them flowering just before Halloween. They were so excited about “Dracula” that they even made a funny Halloween video on You Tube about that, called “Dracula, Bewitched”.
To watch the Halloween video, click the You Tube logo ( linked ) >> >
Addition / update – April 26 , 2017 : “Dracula” in a publication.
An article about Celosia cristata “Dracula” will be published in issue 135 of Garden Gate Magazine from Des Moines – Iowa ( USA ) , coming out May/June 2017. Celex has provided information and pictures for that. Unfortunately we’ve only received a PDF of the article on page 15, hence we can’t provide a link here.
Addition / update – June 30 , 2017 : “Dracula” in a show garden.
A picture of Celosia cristata “Dracula” in a show garden of the arboretum in Dallas – Texas, flowering in June.
Addition / update – November 03 , 2017 : “Dracula” in trial productions.
Celosia cristata “Dracula” has also been tested on another location in ( hot and humid ! ) Texas in the summer of 2017 and performed great overthere, with exciting and strong plants ! In the mean time the novelty is already in some trial productions as well.
Addition / update – April 10 , 2018 : “Dracula” exploding “in the market”.
After the introduction Celosia cristata “Dracula” appears to be a great succes. And not only in the period that they’re grown for Halloween, but also e.g. in the first quarter of the year. In Dutch we call that in an idiom ( translated ) “It goes like a canon ball”.
So… ! Convinced ?
“Put the count in the ground and – in the garden – blood red will be found”.
With bloody much passion bred by Celex.
** For availability of seeds and information about the present Celosia assortment, please contact PanAmerican Seed. The address of the Dutch office can be found on the page “Partners”. But elsewhere in the world you can also contact your local Panam seed representative.