Sunday™ Mix
Celosia argentea plumosa
Photo: Jordi Gili · Wikimedia Commons · (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Productive plants produce vivid blooms that are useful for multicolor bunches, bouquet fillers, or a celebration of color for garden beds. 3-5" long plumes. Raw, uncoated seed.
Harvest
85-100d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
9-18 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Sunday™ Mix in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 flower →Zone Map
Click a state to update dates
Sunday™ Mix · 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 | — |
Succession Planting
Sunday Mix celosia keeps producing plumes as long as you're cutting them, so you don't need to succession sow the way you would with lettuce or radishes. One planting carries you through the season. That said, if you want a longer overall window — or a backup in case a late frost catches your first transplants — start a second round of seeds indoors 3-4 weeks after your first, then transplant that second batch out once daytime highs are reliably above 65°F. Two staggered plantings in April and May will give you overlapping bloom periods through late summer.
Stop starting new seeds by early June in zone 7. Germination stalls when soil temps push past 85°F, and seedlings started that late will barely establish before fall cool-down interrupts their bloom cycle. Put your energy into keeping existing plants cut — celosia stops producing if you let plumes go fully to seed, so harvest every 7-10 days to keep them pushing new stems.
Complete Growing Guide
Productive plants produce vivid blooms that are useful for multicolor bunches, bouquet fillers, or a celebration of color for garden beds. 3-5" long plumes. Raw, uncoated seed. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Sunday™ Mix is 85 - 100 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™ Mix reaches harvest at 85 - 100 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
For fresh storage, keep cut blooms in a cool location (65-72°F) away from ripening fruit and direct sunlight. Store stems in a vase with fresh, cool water and change water every 2-3 days; blooms last 7-10 days. For longer preservation, try air-drying by hanging bundles upside-down in a warm, dry, dark space for 2-3 weeks to retain color and shape. Alternatively, press flowers between parchment paper under weight for 1-2 weeks for floral crafts. Freeze flowers in ice cubes with water for decorative cocktails or special events.
History & Origin
Sunday™ 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: Tropical Africa
Advantages
- +Produces vivid, multicolored blooms ideal for fresh flower arrangements
- +3-5 inch plumes offer substantial size for garden impact
- +Rated easy difficulty makes this variety accessible to beginners
- +Raw seed provides cost-effective option for large-scale plantings
Considerations
- -85-100 day maturity requires longer growing season in cool climates
- -Celosia susceptible to root rot in poorly draining soil conditions
- -Raw uncoated seed has lower germination rates than treated seed
Companion Plants
Marigolds (especially Tagetes patula) are probably the most useful neighbor here — they repel whiteflies and aphids through scent compounds in their foliage, and celosia doesn't compete with them for root space since both stay in the top 6-8 inches of soil. Sweet alyssum pulls double duty: its tiny flowers attract parasitic wasps and hoverflies that work through aphid colonies on your celosia without any input from you. Cosmos and zinnias round out a cut-flower bed nicely and keep the canopy open enough that airflow stays decent — which matters a lot for keeping powdery mildew at bay through our humid Georgia summers.
Keep celosia well away from black walnut (Juglans nigra) and eucalyptus. Black walnut produces juglone, which leaches into the soil and can stunt or kill sensitive annuals — and celosia is sensitive enough that even planting near the drip line is risky. Eucalyptus releases allelopathic oils with a similar suppressive effect. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is the third one to isolate: it inhibits flowering in most warm-season annuals and tends to quietly underperform everything around it, so give it its own bed entirely rather than letting it self-seed through the cut-flower patch.
Plant Together
Marigolds
Natural pest deterrent that repels nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies
Sweet Alyssum
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps for natural pest control
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles while attracting pollinators
Lavender
Repels moths, fleas, and mosquitoes while attracting bees and butterflies
Petunias
Natural pesticide properties that deter tomato hornworms, aphids, and squash bugs
Cosmos
Attracts beneficial predatory insects and provides complementary height and texture
Zinnia
Excellent pollinator magnet that attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds
Catmint
Repels ants, aphids, and rodents while being drought-tolerant ground cover
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth and can kill many flowering plants
Eucalyptus
Allelopathic properties suppress germination and growth of nearby plants
Fennel
Strong allelopathic effects inhibit growth of most garden plants through root secretions
Pests & Disease Resistance
Common Pests
Aphids, spider mites, whiteflies
Diseases
Powdery mildew, root rot in poorly drained soil
Troubleshooting Sunday™ Mix
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Leaves and stems covered in a white powdery coating, usually showing up after a few weeks of warm, humid weather
Likely Causes
- Powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) — thrives when nights are cool and days are warm, especially with poor airflow between plants
- Crowded spacing under 18 inches that traps humidity around foliage
What to Do
- 1.Thin or space plants to at least 18 inches apart so air can move through
- 2.Apply a diluted neem oil spray (2 tbsp per gallon of water) every 7-10 days while symptoms are active
- 3.Water at the base, not overhead — wet foliage at night is the fastest way to make this worse
Plant wilting and yellowing from the base up, with roots that look brown and mushy when you pull it
Likely Causes
- Root rot — most often Pythium or Rhizoctonia species in waterlogged or poorly drained soil
- Planting in a low spot that holds water after rain
What to Do
- 1.Pull and discard affected plants — they won't recover once roots are gone
- 2.Amend the bed with 2-3 inches of coarse compost or perlite before replanting to improve drainage
- 3.If the site consistently stays wet, build up a raised bed at least 6 inches above grade
Distorted new growth, sticky residue on leaves, or a sooty black film on stems and foliage
Likely Causes
- Aphid colonies (commonly Myzus persicae or Aphis gossypii) feeding on tender new growth and excreting honeydew
- Whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) — check the undersides of leaves for tiny white adults that scatter when disturbed
What to Do
- 1.Knock aphids off with a firm stream of water from the hose — do this in the morning so foliage dries quickly
- 2.Introduce or attract parasitic wasps by planting sweet alyssum nearby; they'll work the aphid population down over 1-2 weeks
- 3.For persistent whitefly infestations, apply insecticidal soap spray directly to leaf undersides every 5-7 days for 3 applications
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Sunday Mix flowers last in a vase?▼
Is Sunday Mix good for beginner gardeners?▼
Can you grow Sunday Mix flowers in containers?▼
When should I plant Sunday Mix seeds?▼
What are Sunday Mix flowers best used for?▼
How far apart should I space Sunday Mix plants?▼
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.