Sunday™ Cherry
Celosia argentea plumosa
Photo: John Sutton · Wikimedia Commons · (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Uniform, productive plants. 3-5" long, bright, cherry-colored, feathery spikes on long stems. Stems are pink to red-toned with light green leaves. Raw, uncoated seed.
Harvest
85-95d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
9-18 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Sunday™ Cherry in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 flower →Zone Map
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Sunday™ Cherry · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | — |
| 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 | — |
Complete Growing Guide
Uniform, productive plants. 3-5" long, bright, cherry-colored, feathery spikes on long stems. Stems are pink to red-toned with light green leaves. Raw, uncoated seed. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Sunday™ Cherry is 85 - 95 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Use for Cut Flowers and Bouquets, Ideal for Drying and Crafts, Attracts Beneficial Insects.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Occasionally Dry. Height: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Low. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Sunday™ Cherry reaches harvest at 85 - 95 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 3-5" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
Smooth, glossy, shiny capsule contain many seeds
Color: Black. Type: Capsule.
Edibility: The leaves and young shoots are cooked and used in soups and stews. The seeds yield edible oil.
Storage & Preservation
Sunday® Cherry flowers are best enjoyed fresh and should be kept on the stem in cool water on the counter, away from direct heat and ripening fruit. For cut flowers, refrigerate at 35-40°F in a vase with fresh water to extend vase life to 7-10 days. For preservation, try air-drying the spikes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space for dried arrangements lasting several months. Alternatively, glycerin treatment preserves the feathery texture while adding a subtle sheen. Pressing individual florets between paper creates flat botanical specimens ideal for crafts, maintaining color for months.
History & Origin
Sunday™ Cherry is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Tropical Africa
Advantages
- +Bright cherry-red feathery spikes create striking visual appeal in arrangements
- +Long stems ideal for cutting and bouquet arrangements without extra processing
- +Uniform plant growth ensures consistent, predictable results across entire plantings
- +Relatively quick maturity at 85-95 days allows multiple succession plantings
- +Easy cultivation makes this suitable for novice and experienced growers
Considerations
- -Raw uncoated seed may have lower germination rates than treated alternatives
- -Celosia generally prefers warm soil and struggles in cool climates
- -Plants can become leggy or sparse if not provided adequate direct sunlight
- -Cherry color may fade or appear less vibrant in extreme heat conditions
Companion Plants
Marigolds and zinnias are the most practical companions for Sunday Cherry. French marigold types like 'Bonanza' release thiophene compounds from their roots that suppress root-knot nematodes in the surrounding soil, and their scent disrupts the host-finding behavior of aphids and whiteflies. Zinnias pull in parasitic wasps and hoverflies — both of which feed on soft-bodied pests — while doubling as a cut flower in the same bed. Planted together, these three carry a cutting garden through a full summer without much intervention.
Alyssum is worth fitting into the edges. It tops out under 6 inches, gets going fast from transplant, and its nectar-heavy blooms bring in beneficial insects while celosia is still sizing up. Nasturtiums work a similar angle but also draw aphids preferentially — they'll absorb the pressure so the celosia doesn't have to. Chives spaced at 12-inch intervals throughout the bed can reduce thrips activity without competing meaningfully for root space at celosia's 18-24 inch spacing.
The three to skip are worth understanding. Black walnut produces juglone, a compound toxic enough to stunt or kill many ornamentals within the drip line and beyond — 50 feet of clearance is the commonly cited minimum. Eucalyptus has overlapping allelopathic chemistry and also drops leaf litter that shifts soil pH fast. Sunflowers are the less obvious call: they're allelopathic through root exudates, and at 5-6 feet tall they'll pull hours of direct light away from a plant that needs every bit of it to push those plumes.
Plant Together
Marigolds
Repel aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes while attracting beneficial insects
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, also repel squash bugs
Petunias
Repel aphids, tomato hornworms, and squash bugs with natural compounds
Alyssum
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps for pest control
Chives
Repel aphids and Japanese beetles while improving soil health
Zinnia
Attract beneficial predatory insects and provide pollinator support
Cosmos
Attract beneficial insects and provide natural pest control through companion diversity
Lavender
Repels moths, fleas, and mosquitoes while attracting pollinators
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth and can kill sensitive plants
Eucalyptus
Releases allelopathic compounds that suppress growth of nearby plants
Sunflowers
Compete aggressively for nutrients and water, may stunt smaller companion growth
Troubleshooting Sunday™ Cherry
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Seedlings collapse at soil level, stems pinched thin and dark at the base, often within 7-14 days of germination
Likely Causes
- Damping off (Pythium or Rhizoctonia spp.) — fungal pathogens that thrive in cold, wet, poorly-drained seed-starting mix
- Overwatering or trays left sitting in standing water
What to Do
- 1.Toss the affected tray — there's no recovering a damped-off flat
- 2.Start fresh with a sterile, well-draining seed-starting mix and water only from the bottom
- 3.Keep the soil surface dry between waterings and run a small fan to improve airflow around seedlings
Leaves stippled with tiny silver-grey flecks, undersides show fine webbing, plants look dull and washed-out in hot dry stretches
Likely Causes
- Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) — populations explode when temperatures push above 85°F and humidity drops
What to Do
- 1.Spray the undersides of leaves thoroughly with insecticidal soap or neem oil every 5-7 days for at least three applications
- 2.Water plants consistently — drought-stressed celosia is far more susceptible
- 3.If the infestation is severe on a single plant, remove and bag it before mites spread to neighbors
Plumes fail to develop color and remain small and stunted, even on plants that otherwise look healthy at 60+ days
Likely Causes
- Insufficient direct sun — Sunday Cherry needs a true 6+ hours of unobstructed light daily; partial shade delays and weakens flowering significantly
- Overcrowding below 18-inch spacing, which creates competition for light and nutrients
What to Do
- 1.Move container-grown plants to a sunnier spot immediately
- 2.Thin in-ground plants to at least 18 inches apart and side-dress with a balanced granular fertilizer (10-10-10) to help plants recover
- 3.A stunted plant at this stage won't fully catch up — mark the spot, note the light hours in midsummer, and adjust placement next year
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Sunday® Cherry cut flowers last in a vase?▼
Can you grow Sunday® Cherry flowers in containers?▼
When should I plant Sunday® Cherry seeds?▼
Is Sunday® Cherry a good choice for beginner gardeners?▼
What's the difference between Sunday® Cherry and other celosia varieties?▼
How much space do Sunday® Cherry plants need?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.