Zinnia
The zinnia is the garden colour bomb of late summer — no other annual delivers this range of saturated hues on stems robust enough for cut work. Benary's Giant series produces 10 cm heads on 70 cm stems; Queeny Lime cultivars carry chartreuse and blush palettes prized by modern florists. Local and seasonal; a farm-to-vase staple.
| Family | Asteraceae |
|---|---|
| Origin | Mexico, Central America; commercially grown by local farms |
| Peak season | July, August, September |
| Availability | June to October |
| Stem length | 30–70 cm |
| Vase life | 5–10 days |
| Colors | white, cream, yellow, orange, coral, pink, red, burgundy, purple, green, bicolor |
| Price tier | mid |
Cut on a diagonal in the early morning. Sear the stem end for 2 seconds in boiling water then plunge into cool water for hydration.
- •Sear stem ends for maximum vase life
- •Wide colour range — one of the most colour-diverse annuals
- •Local, seasonal flower — buy from farms
- •Queeny Lime Orange and Benary's Giant are cut-flower favourites
2 named zinnia cultivars from the Lacy Bird master catalogue — each a distinct commercial variety.
Entries marked ✦ come from the Acanta master catalogue — the shared database of cut flowers, forms, colours and named varieties that florists and studios build on. The rest are our editorial genus reference. What is Acanta →
Bouquet Builder — by Lacy BirdDesign the bouquet. See it as a photo.
Botanical reference
- Common name
- Common zinnia
- Also known as
- Crassina elegans, Crassina linearis, Zinnia australis, Zinnia elegans alba, Zinnia elegans coccinea, Zinnia elegans elegans, Zinnia elegans purpurascens, Zinnia elegans violacea, Zinnia linearis, Zinnia linearis latifolia, Zinnia linearis linearis, Zinnia violacea
- Distribution
- Assam, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Bulgaria, China, Cook Is., El Salvador
Open-data sources: GBIF, Wikidata (CC0/CC BY)
Frequently asked questions
When is Zinnia in season?
Zinnia peaks in July, August, September, and florists can usually source it June to October. Availability shifts by region and greenhouse supply.
How long does Zinnia last in a vase?
Expect 5–10 days with proper conditioning — a clean vase, fresh water every couple of days, flower food, and a cool spot away from ripening fruit and direct heat.
What can I use instead of Zinnia?
Good substitutes for Zinnia include Dahlia, Cosmos, Tithonia. Match on look, colour and season — our substitute finder ranks the closest alternatives.
What does Zinnia symbolise?
Zinnia is associated with endurance, lasting affection, thoughts of absent friends.
How do you care for cut Zinnia?
Sear stem ends for maximum vase life
Related flowers
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Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — “Zinnia”. https://lacybird.com/flowers/zinnia/<a href="https://lacybird.com/flowers/zinnia/">Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — Zinnia</a>