Teresa’s Top Five Zinnias To Beat The Heat
Zinnias were the first flowers I learned to draw—and they’re easy to love. In my view, they’re among the most enjoyable long-lasting annuals to grow. Whether you’re a child, a beginner gardener, Master Gardener, or a professional landscaper, zinnias provide vibrant color, summer-long blooms, few pest problems, and minimal maintenance. These are my five favorite zinnia varieties from Burpee seeds for a pollinator garden or meadow—plant a few now!
Macarenia zinnias bring vivid spicy-orange color to the garden. Their 3" blooms last all summer, brightening beds, borders, containers, and cut-flower gardens, with colors that deepen as the flowers mature. Burpee 35 seeds, $8.95.
Raspberry Lemonade zinnias’ bold 2–3" blooms bring a colorful display to borders and containers. The vibrant mix features coral, yellow, and starlight rose, offering easy-care, long-lasting summer color with strong disease and drought tolerance. Burpee 25 Seeds $6.95
Giant flowered zinnias are dynamic! These sturdy, bushy flowers produce huge 5" double blooms that look like dahlias and add bold, vibrant color to the garden. Heat-loving and easy to grow, they keep flowering more as you cut them, making them a summer bouquet favorite. Burpee 150 seeds $5.45 and 375 seeds $7.95
Tequila Lime zinnias are large, bright zinnias feature crisp, citrus-green blooms up to 3" wide. Their rounded flowers add a lively lime-colored pop to the garden and are ideal for cutting and arranging. Purchase Burpee 50 seeds $6.95
Cactus Flowered Zinnias are an enduring Heirloom variety. Narrow, quilled petals give these heirloom zinnias distinctive flair. Introduced as Burpee’s “breakthrough” zinnia in the 1920s, this mix produces double and semi-double blooms up to 5" wide in scarlet, rose, orange, white, and yellow. Exceptional for cut flowers. Burpee 100 seeds $4.95
You can seeds in seed-starting trays and pots or directly into your garden. Seeds will germinate in 7 to 10 days. If needed, thin flowers out as they reach 1” to 2”, spacing them one half of the variety’s mature height. (See on seed packet) Keep consistently moist, watering if no rain 1x - 2x a week. But do not overwater. Container plants may need more watering oversight depending on pot material. To prevent fungal issues, water in early morning between 4am and 6am.
Photo credit: Burpee