How to Grow Johnny Jump-Up Helen Mount From Seed

Are Helen Mount johnny jump-up flowers edible?

Yes. The little tricolor flowers of Helen Mount are edible and have a mild, faintly wintergreen flavor. They are a favorite for decorating cakes and desserts, brightening salads, or freezing into ice cubes. As with any edible flower, use blooms you have grown without pesticides.

Is Helen Mount an annual or a perennial?

It is a cool-season annual or short-lived perennial. Helen Mount blooms best in the cool weather of spring and fall, may fade in summer heat, and self-seeds so freely that it often behaves like a perennial, returning on its own year after year.

Do johnny jump-ups grow in shade?

They do well in full sun to part shade. In hot climates a little afternoon shade actually helps them keep blooming through warm spells, while in cooler areas full sun gives the most flowers.

How big do Helen Mount johnny jump-ups get?

They stay small and tidy, about 6 to 8 inches tall, which makes them perfect for edging, containers, window boxes, and tucking between stepping stones. Space or thin plants to about 6 inches apart.