Heirloom

Jazzy Mix

Zinnia haageana

Photo: S.G.S. · Wikimedia Commons · (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Harvest

75-85d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

2–12

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

12-18 inches

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Showing dates for Jazzy Mix in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 flower →

Zone Map

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Jazzy Mix · Zones 2–12

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

SeasonWarm season annual

ColorBurgundy red, red, yellow, and orange with cream, red, or yellow tips

Size1-2"

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 3	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 4	March – April	June – June	June – July	—
Zone 5	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 6	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 8	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 9	January – February	March – April	March – May	—
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	February – April	—
Zone 1	May – June	July – August	July – September	—
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – March	—

Succession Planting

Direct sow Jazzy Mix every 3 weeks from April 1 through June 15 in zone 7 for a continuous cut-flower supply through fall. Each planting takes 75–85 days to first bloom, so a June 15 sowing will push flowers into mid-September, right before first frost. Don't bother sowing after late June — the plants will still grow, but hard frost will cut the bloom window short before you get full value out of them.

If you started seeds indoors in February or March and transplanted in April, that first planting will likely peak in July. Let it run, but get your second direct sowing in the ground by mid-May so there's something coming on strong when the first flush fades in August.

Complete Growing Guide

Attractive fully double and semidouble blooms are 1-2" in size. Bright and earthy shades of burgundy red, red, yellow, and orange with cream, red, or yellow tips. Plants are compact but highly productive. Cut-and-come-again flower, yielding multiple cuts over the season. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Jazzy Mix is 75 - 85 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Grows Well in Containers, Use for Cut Flowers and Bouquets, Attracts Beneficial Insects.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt). Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Occasionally Dry. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Jazzy Mix reaches harvest at 75 - 85 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 1-2" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

Type: Achene.

Storage & Preservation

For fresh storage, keep Jazzy Mix flowers in a cool location at 65-72°F with moderate humidity (50-60%). Store in a vase with fresh, cool water and change the water daily for maximum longevity. Shelf life is typically 7-10 days. For preservation, try air-drying by hanging bundles upside-down in a dark, well-ventilated space for 2-3 weeks to create long-lasting dried arrangements. Alternatively, press flowers between parchment paper under weight for 1-2 weeks to preserve them flat for crafts or scrapbooking. Silica gel drying is also effective for maintaining color and form within 3-5 days.

History & Origin

Jazzy Mix is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: Mexico

Advantages

+Fully double and semidouble blooms provide luxurious, garden-worthy flower forms
+Compact plants maximize space efficiency in containers and small gardens
+Cut-and-come-again productivity yields multiple harvests throughout the growing season
+Vibrant color mix of burgundy, red, yellow, and orange appeals broadly
+Easy difficulty level makes this variety suitable for beginner gardeners

Considerations

-1-2 inch blooms are relatively small for some floral design applications
-Requires consistent deadheading to maintain continuous flowering and plant vigor
-Susceptible to powdery mildew in humid or poorly ventilated growing conditions

Companion Plants

Sweet Alyssum and Catmint pull their weight here — both draw in parasitic wasps and hoverflies that knock back aphid populations without any intervention on your part, and at 6–12 inches tall they won't shade out these 12–18-inch zinnias. French marigolds (Tagetes patula) add whitefly and thrips deterrence through their foliar and root compounds, and their orange-and-red tones are a natural echo for the bicolor blooms Jazzy Mix throws. Keep Fennel at the far end of the garden — it chemically suppresses most annuals — and stay alert to Black Walnut trees in older suburban lots around here in the southeast; the juglone they shed into the soil will quietly stall your zinnias before you figure out what's wrong.

Plant Together

Marigolds

Repel aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes while attracting beneficial insects

Sweet Alyssum

Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps for pest control

Nasturtiums

Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles while adding complementary colors

Zinnias

Attract butterflies and beneficial pollinators, create attractive mixed borders

Cosmos

Attract beneficial insects and provide structural contrast with delicate foliage

Lavender

Repels moths, fleas, and mosquitoes while attracting bees and butterflies

Catmint

Deters ants, aphids, and rodents while providing long-lasting blooms

Sunflowers

Provide beneficial habitat for predatory insects and birds that eat garden pests

Keep Apart

Black Walnut

Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth and can kill sensitive flowering plants

Eucalyptus

Releases allelopathic compounds that suppress growth of nearby flowering plants

Fennel

Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathic root secretions

Troubleshooting Jazzy Mix

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

White powdery coating on leaves and stems, usually appearing mid-summer when nights cool slightly after hot days

Likely Causes

Powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) — a fungal disease that spreads by airspores, not water splash, and thrives in humid air with poor circulation
Crowded spacing or planting against a fence that traps still air

What to Do

1.Strip and trash the worst-affected leaves — don't compost them
2.Thin plants or cut back neighboring stems to open up airflow
3.Apply a diluted neem oil spray (2 tsp per quart of water) every 7 days until the spread stops; do it in the evening to avoid leaf scorch

Seedlings or young transplants collapsing at the soil line, stems look pinched and water-soaked just above the roots

Likely Causes

Damping off — most commonly Pythium or Rhizoctonia fungi — triggered by overwatering or poorly drained seed-starting mix
Starting seeds too early indoors in cold, low-light conditions where soil stays wet too long

What to Do

1.Pull the affected seedlings immediately; they won't recover
2.Let the remaining soil dry out more between waterings — zinnia seeds don't need constant moisture once they've sprouted
3.Next sowing, use a sterile seed-starting mix and make sure your trays have drainage holes that actually drain

Flower petals browning and rotting before they fully open, especially after a stretch of rainy weather

Likely Causes

Botrytis blight (Botrytis cinerea) — gray mold that targets spent or stressed flower tissue in wet, overcast conditions
Deadheading neglected too long, leaving rotting petals that give the fungus a foothold

What to Do

1.Deadhead every 3 to 5 days — cut spent blooms back to the next lateral branch, not just the flower head
2.Avoid overhead watering; water at the base in the morning so foliage dries before evening
3.If the problem is widespread, remove and bag all affected blooms, then apply a copper fungicide spray per label directions

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Jazzy Mix flowers last in a vase?▼

Jazzy Mix flowers typically last 7-10 days in a vase with proper care. Change the water daily, trim stems at an angle, and keep them in a cool location away from direct sunlight to extend their lifespan. The cut-and-come-again nature of these plants means you'll have fresh blooms throughout the season for repeated harvests.

Are Jazzy Mix flowers good for beginners?▼

Yes, Jazzy Mix is excellent for beginners. It has an Easy difficulty rating and produces abundant blooms without requiring specialized care. The cut-and-come-again growth habit encourages more flowers with each harvest, making it rewarding for new gardeners and ideal for those wanting quick, colorful results.

Can you grow Jazzy Mix flowers in containers?▼

Yes, Jazzy Mix flowers can be grown in containers. Their compact plant habit makes them well-suited for pots and containers. Use well-draining potting soil, ensure the container has drainage holes, and place it in a location receiving 4-6+ hours of sunlight. Container growing also makes harvesting convenient for cut flowers.

When should I plant Jazzy Mix flowers?▼

Sow Jazzy Mix seeds directly in the garden after the last frost date, or start indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost for earlier blooms. They require full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours daily) and will bloom within 75-85 days from planting, making them ideal for mid-to-late season color.

What colors do Jazzy Mix flowers come in?▼

Jazzy Mix offers a vibrant palette of burgundy red, red, yellow, and orange blooms, many with contrasting cream, red, or yellow tips. The fully double and semidouble blooms are 1-2 inches in size, creating an attractive, multi-colored display throughout the growing season.

How often can I harvest Jazzy Mix flowers?▼

Jazzy Mix is a cut-and-come-again variety, meaning you can harvest flowers multiple times throughout the season. Regular cutting encourages the plant to produce more blooms, so harvesting frequently actually promotes continuous flowering and extends your harvest period into late season.