The National Garden Bureau celebrated The Year of the Zinnia in 2011, and plant breeders have been coming out with new colors and cultivars every year since. Many of the zinnia varieties featured in this list have won All-America Selection awards for their ease of growing and pest resistance. All bloom profusely and make wonderful accents in borders and containers as well as perfect cut flowers. The more you cut them, the more they will bloom. Zinnias are fast growers. You can direct sow in the spring, after all danger of frost has passed, and can sow a second batch in mid-summer to have fresh plants blooming into the fall. Whether an old or new variety, all zinnias prefer a site with full sun and well-draining soil. If you need a temporary filler in a perennial cutting garden while you wait for the bed to become established, zinnias could fit the bill.
Top-Performing Zinnia Flowers and Tips for Growing Them
Single to fluffy double flowers top “Royal Purple’s” tall (36 to 40 inches) plants. This zinnia blooms in shades from lilac to a deep, dark purple, changing shades slightly as it ages. These are quick growers, flowering within a couple of months from seed. When growing most zinnias, some pinching while young will keep the plants stocky and full although perhaps a little shorter. Keep them deadheaded for flowering all season. These are the traditional zinnia colors of gold and mahogany, with a rusty center cone that elongates as the flowers age. “Old Mexico” was the 1962 All-America Selection and is considered an heirloom flower. It is an excellent choice to grow from seed, indoors or out. The full, bushy plants can be prone to aphids, so plant them in an open spot with lots of air circulation. “Chrystal White” grows into dense plants that grow to about 1 foot tall and exhibit excellent powdery mildew resistance. “Profusion” zinnias are an excellent choice for containers, as they are both compact and drought tolerant. But they are just as happy spilling over in a border. The flowers are about 3 inches across, blooming on plants about 2 feet tall. Minimal pinching is needed to keep the plants full, but deadheading will keep them producing flowers. If you love cut flowers, the “Zahara” zinnias are an excellent choice, blooming repeatedly and holding their color as they age.
