Beautiful, vibrant, tall zinnias are a must in any garden. Their crayon-bright colors, fabulous forms (they come in single, double, semi-double, and cactus types), and attractiveness to butterflies make them a welcome addition to any landscape. You can snip their stems for bouquets or press the blooms between the pages of heavy books to save for later. In the fall, leave the season's last flowers to dry on these annual plants so birds can nibble their seeds.
Luckily, zinnias (Zinnia elegans) are easy to grow in a sunny spot. The hard part is deciding which ones to plant because so many beautiful varieties are available. Here are a few of the best zinnia varieties to get you started.
1. Benary's Giant
"Most of the glory goes to the tall zinnias," says Eric Grissell, author of A History of Zinnias: Flowers for the Ages. He points to popular Benary's Giant, a classic series that gets its name from the German seed company that developed it, and the fact that these tall zinnias can grow upwards of 4 feet. "Their huge, dahlia-like blooms come in almost any color except blue. Zinnias don't come in blue," he says.
Florist and grower Christina Matthews always plants rows of Benary's Giant on her urban flower farm in Cincinnati, Ohio, for her business, The Flower Lady. "I call them star flowers," she says, "because they're so bright and cheerful." One of her favorites is Benary's Salmon Rose, "a peachy, blushy, pinky" shade she uses for her wedding floral work.
2. Oklahoma Zinnias
Another bold zinnia series Matthews loves to grow is 'Oklahoma'. The blooms can be semi-double or double (which means they can have extra rows of petals that make them look fuller). These 3-foot-tall zinnias have 2-inch flowerheads that resemble "round lollipops bursting with color," Matthews says. They come in mixes of yellow, orange, pink, and "a deep, gorgeous red that attracts monarch butterflies," she adds.
3. Cactus-Flowered Zinnias
Want something to have your neighbors peering over the fence with amazement? Cactus-flowered zinnias have beautiful twisted or curved petals in several bright colors. "For a super-colorful display with extra-large blooms and distinctive quill-shaped petals, you can't go wrong with Giant Cactus Zinnias in Mixed Colors," says Rebecca Sears, chief marketing officer for Green Garden Products, which owns Ferry-Morse seed company. "They make a stunning cut-flower bouquet!"
4. Zinderella
Also fantastic for flower arrangements is the Zinderella series, according to Elizabeth Sanchez, owner of Tommy Austin Florist, which is part of the nationwide floral delivery service BloomNation. They're available in bright red and orange, white, and purple, but the antique-y pink, lilac, and peach shades are Sanchez's favorites. Each bloom features a dome of ruffled, densely packed, shorter petals set off by a skirt of longer petals. These tall zinnias grow to 2.5 feet.
5. Queeny Lime Zinnias
For zinnias with incredible multicolored petals, try the Queeny Lime series. 'Queeny Lime Orange' is an All-America Selections winner thanks to its unique coral, peach, and apricot hues highlighted with pale green and its top performance in trials nationwide.
'Queeny Lime Blush' is a favorite for Matthews, who describes it as "a bright green flower dusted with beautiful pink edging. The pink also emerges from the center and bleeds onto the petals." The series also offers 'Queeny Lime Red', which resembles 'Queeny Lime Orange', except it has rose and ruby tones with pale green. These plants grow 2-3 feet tall.
6. Jazzy Mix Zinnias
For autumn colors, Matthews likes Jazzy Mix zinnias. "Their yellow, cream, orange, burgundy, and maroon shades are great for fall gardens and bouquets." They're a more compact variety than most tall zinnias plants, but they still grow to about 2 feet tall with petite blooms just 1-2 inches wide. They should be planted in spring or summer, despite their fall-like tones.
7. Peppermint Stick Zinnia
A vintage variety, 'Peppermint Stick' takes your garden from early fall into the holidays, Matthews says. Each of the dahlia-like blooms has a slightly different pattern; the flowers are white or creamy yellow with red stripes and speckles. The plants are on the taller side, she says, getting about 2.5 feet tall. The unusual blooms "are great fun if you have kids," she adds.
8. Zowie! Yellow Flame Zinnia
Don't miss Zowie! 'Yellow Flame', Matthews adds. This zinnia, also an All-America Selections Winner, has fiery scarlet and yellow blooms. Expect this tall zinnia to grow to 3 feet, with up to 5-inch blooms that change colors as they age. 'Macarenia' is a similar-looking, bicolor variety you can try, too.
9. Dwarf Zinnias
Short on garden space? Instead of tall zinnias, opt for the Thumbelina Dwarf Mix, another All-America Selections Winner. These compact cuties can start blooming at just 3 inches tall. Thumbelina zinnias will continue growing up to 6-8 inches or more, depending on the mix, including shades of pink, purple, orange, red, yellow, and lavender. They're a good choice for the front of your garden, Matthews says, because they won't block your view of other plants.
How are you going to choose from so many lovelies? "Think about what you want," Grissell suggests, "whether it's a garden of color with tall, short, single, semi-double, or double flowers." And remember that part of the fun of annuals is that you can try something new each year, so go ahead and grow a bunch of different zinnia varieties side by side, or go with just one or two to see which ones you like best. "These zinnias are tried-and-true," Matthews adds. "You can't go wrong with them."