Zinnias have bright colors, strong stems, and long vase life. It’s not too late to start seeds in June. Sprinkle them in full sun and you’ll have seedlings in days! Discover different types of zinnias from short to tall, from single color to bi-color.
While there are many flowers that may be more elegant in the summer garden, zinnias rank high in “happiness factor” with their cheerful, crayon colors. Plus, they’ll thrive during the long hot days of summer, when other flowers have given up, and continue to flower profusely until frost finally kills them in the fall. Heat- and drought-resistant, they keep branching willingly so the more you cut them to share with friends and family, the more flowers you will have. Talk about a hard-working flower!
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Varieties of Zinnia Flowers
Zinnias come in a wide range of heights, flower forms, and every color except blue. There is even a green one called ‘Envy’.
The zinnias most commonly found in our gardens are Zinnia elegans which range in height from the tiny 6-inch tall ‘Thumbelina’ to the four-foot tall plus ‘Benary’s Giants’. They can have semi-double, fully double, dahlia-like flowers, or ones with rolled, quill-like petals.
Varieties like ‘Peppermint Stick’ and ‘Candy Stripe’ are multi-colored.
AAS winner ‘Zowie Yellow Flame’ is an eye-popping gold with an iridescent magenta center.
Next up is Zinnia angustifolia, also called narrrow-leaf zinnia. It is a low-growing species with small golden yellow, white, or orange single flowers. AAS winner ‘Crystal White’ is only 8 to 10 inches tall making it popular for low front borders or for growing in hanging baskets, window boxes, and other containers. They are so heat and drought resistant that they are often planted in “hell strips”—the areas along parking lots, sidewalks, and roadways where full sun and extra heat radiating from the pavement fries most plants.
Zinnia Profusion Cherry
Hybrid zinnias in the Profusion series are a cross between elegans and angustifolia. Another AAS winning group of plants, they have the best traits of both parents: dazzling colors, continuous bloom, and heat, drought, and disease resistance. They grow 12 inches tall, are naturally branching, and form neat clumps covered with flowers.
Growing Zinnias
Zinnias are easy to grow from seed. Pick the sunniest spot you have, enrich the soil with a little compost, and sow the seeds about 1/2 inch deep. We’ve know folks who just sprinkle the seeds—and voila!
It’s not too late to start seeds in June. The seeds are large and have a high germination rate. Direct-seeded, they will catch up to transplanted ones and be in bloom in about 6 to 8 weeks.
They’ll sprout in 5 to 10 days. Thin them to stand about 9 to 12 inches apart. This is one plant you won’t have to fuss over. They are happy with an inch of water a week and need little additional fertilizing. Soon you’ll be picking armloads of flowers!
Whether you are looking for an indestructible bedding plant, a tall hedge of flowers for cutting, or something in between, there are hundreds of zinnias to choose from. Since they are annuals, you are not “locked in” and every year you can try a new variety.
Read more on the Almanac’s Zinnia Grow Guide.
Robin Sweetser
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What do the new seedlings look like when they first come up?
The seedling will start with two leaves about 3 to 6 inches. The leaves are slightly edgy and very soft and the stems look a little fuzzy.
Zinnias are as easy as described here. In addition to seeds in the ground, I usually do a few pots but admittedly the pots get a little too crowded by the middle of September and it puts a strain on the flowers, but even so, several months of nice, potted zinnias are worth having to toss them when they get too root bound. I've taken to not spacing them out after germnation in the ground, but instead I just plant the seeds far enough apart and skip that step. Because zinnias are almost always a sure thing, no worries about bare spots from seeds that didn't germinate - they will. Many varieties will form more petals the longer they remain on the stem, getting larger and more showy. You can cut for vases at any time and yes, the more you cut, the more you get. I keep a bed just for cutting flowers, predominantly zinnias, which hang around long into the fall and cheer up any room in the house.
Why haven’t my zinnia seeds sprouted? I planted them in warm weather with water and full sun 9 days ago.
Reasons can vary. One common reason is that the soil isn’t kept moist. Did you continue watering them? With too little or no water, seeds remain dormant. With too much water, seeds become susceptible to rot. Another common reason is that you planted too early. Was the soil warm enough for zinnia? With zinnia seeds, many folks wait until after Mother’s Day. Seeds will stall out until temperatures exceed at least 50 degrees F. We hope these tips, help! Once the soil is warm, they germinate quite quickly, so try again!
