A color blend like no other in the garden (except possibly Coleus foliage), Queeny Lime Red is the zinnia of the season, the one we get daily calls and emails about. It's just so amazingthe petals shade from deep maroon at the base to fresh lime-green around the central cone, with shades of antique rose, vintage pink, and soft chartreuse in between. What's more, the flowers are fully double, very freely borne, and long-lasting in the garden or as cuts. In other words, Queeny Lime Red has it all.
This plant is a tall, well-branched, bushy zinnia, great for the sunny bed and outstanding in large containers. Expect it to reach 27 to 31 inches high and about 2 feet wide, filled with flowering stems from the first hint of summer weather until the last (even if that last is in October). Like all zinnia, it's super easy to grow, either when started indoors or direct sown into the warm spring soil. Give it plenty of sunshine, well-drained soil, and the occasional feed to keep it blooming like crazy all summer.
The flowers measure 2 to 4 inches wide, arising at the tips of very long, sturdy stems that make them great cuts for the vase. Most will be fully double, absolutely pompon-shaped and packed with tight rows of petals. The occasional outlier will be single, and a few will be semi-double. You may get one or two rebels who insist upon being solid maroon, with no trace of green, but the vast majority will be fully double maroon-to-lime flowers that attract butterflies, bees, and gasps of disbelief from all your friends.
The Queeny series has a solid green variety as well, which makes a perfect companion to Lime Red. Beyond this, though, Lime Red is its own companion, since every bloom is just a bit different and most gardeners agree that they simply can't get enough of them in their beds, borders, and cutting gardens. Enjoy this fabulous new look for the friendliest flower of summer.
