Profusion Fire Zinnia Seeds

When we first grew Profusion Zinnias in our trial gardens here at Park several years ago, the "oohs" and "aahs" were deafening. And no wonder—Profusion Cherry (and its sunny sister, Orange) won the AAS Gold Medal Flower Award—the first flowers to receive this prestigious award in a decade. And then both Cherry and White walked off with Europe's Fleuroselect Gold as well. And now there are two exciting colors in the series that promise to live up to the high expectations of gardeners everywhere—this sizzling Profusion Fire Zinnia and unusual Apricot.

These bushy Profusion Fire Zinnia plants, 14 to 18 inches high and 20 to 24 inches wide, are simply smothered nonstop all season with cheerful, 2-inch daisy-formed blooms. The petals are a bold mix of scarlet and orange, some looking almost striped while others a wash of both bright sunset tones. The petals surround a bold, eye-catching central eye of frilly golden—a very unusual combination for zinnia, and absolutely magnificent in a large planting. And large plantings are just what this landscaping series is designed for—unlike the cut flower or bedding varieties, Profusion is a dense, bushy, many-flowered little plant that covers ground and fills the garden with color.

Profusion Fire Zinnia is highly tolerant of mildew and other foliage diseases, and laughs at heat, humidity, and drought. We are proud to give Profusion our highest recommendation for garden-worthiness.

Zinnias are one of the easiest annuals to grow, and attract butterflies to the garden. They are the perfect cut flower—the more you cut, the more you get. Profusion Fire Zinnias thrive in the sun and heat of summer, and ask only for well-drained soil. Space the Profusion Fire Zinnia plants generously to prevent overcrowding. When cutting the blooms for the vase, trim off all the foliage; unlike the blooms, it does not age well. Direct sow or start ahead indoors.