Fleuroselect Novelty Award
A stunning addition to the Zinderella series, Zinnia Zest is a tender annual that blooms heavily from midsummer to fall, possibly to first frost. Offering a brilliant burst of color, this zinnia continuously sets mostly double flowers, but there will be a few singles. Known as scabiosa blooms, the distinctive flowers have golden yellow hues with burnt orange highlights and a frilly crested center with a dark eye. Borne singly at the end of a branch, the flowers produce loads of nectar and attract butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and other beneficial pollinators. The dramatic dahlialike blooms make brilliant, long-lasting cuts for bouquets, bright garnishes for salads, and lovely everlastings.
Zinderella Zest has a dense, upright, mounding habit of lanceolate leaves and a fast growth rate. A classic garden favorite, zinnia is shown to best effect grouped or massed in beds, borders, and patio pots.
Extremely easy to grow from seed, zinnias prefer full sun and rich, organic, well-drained loam or soil raked to a fine tilth. Although zinnias are low maintenance, pinching young plants promotes a more compact, bushier plant and deadheading spent flowers keeps the plants blooming. Zinnias are heat and drought tolerant and deer, pest, and disease resistant.
Direct sow zinnia seed after the last frost date, once the soil has warmed and temperatures are consistently 68°F and above, or start seeds indoors, acclimatize sprouts for 10 to 15 days, and transplant seedlings carefully when they are very young, after all threat of frost has passed. Good air circulation is vital for best performance, so provide generous spacing. Succession planting every week or so for several weeks extends the flowering period.
If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.
