9 Standout Zinnias That Look Especially Attractive As Cut Flowers
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
IN THIS GUIDE
Zinnias are a hugely popular garden plant all across the UK.
Easy to cultivate and available in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes, they can adapt to and enliven any existing aesthetic.
Although all zinnias are easy on the eye, some of them are more suited to cutting for bouquet displays than others.
That’s because there are many varieties of zinnia which are low-growing spreaders, meaning that they are perfect for filling out beds and borders, but not so impressive when placed in a vase.
With that in mind, I’ve compiled a shortlist of some of my favourite zinnia varieties for cutting, making it super easy to select the flowers most suited to the type of arrangement you wish to create.
1) Z. elegans ‘Benary’s Giant’
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
One of the most popular types of zinnia in the UK, ‘Benary’s Giant’ series is a dahlia-flowered mix which produces some of the largest flower heads (30-40cm in diameter) in the whole species.
The fully double blossoms are held proudly aloft on sturdy stems, making them an excellent choice for a bouquet.
This strain comes in a broad spectrum of colours, all of which are handily named for the hue they represent.
“The ‘Benary’s Giant’ series provides outstanding cut flowers in a range of colours,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly.
“For a more controlled crop, grow in a polytunnel where the optimal conditions will provide long stems of brilliantly coloured cut flowers.”
For example, you can choose from pedestrian options like ‘Benary’s Giant Golden Yellow’, ‘Benary’s Giant White’ and ‘Benary’s Giant Deep Red’ to the more theatrically named (and tinted) ‘Benary’s Giant Salmon Rose’ and ‘Benary’s Giant Wine’ – which is pictured above.
2) Z. ‘California Giant’
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
‘California Giant’ is not quite as outsized as ‘Benary’s Giant’, but it still reaches a respectable 15cm in diameter if planted in optimum conditions.
Due to their size and height, they work well at the rear of a mixed border, but they’ll sparkle just as brightly in a cut arrangement too.
Again, there are a handful of different varieties available, each in its bright tones.
‘Oriole California Giant’ boasts blooms of brilliant orange, while ‘Polar Bear California Giant’ is as pure and white as the cold-driven snow.
Mixed colour varieties are also available.
3) Z. elegans (Dwarf Varieties)
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
The name might suggest that Dwarf Zinnias are not suitable for cutting, but at 25cm in height, they’re still tall enough to look stately in a vase.
Flower heads normally span anywhere between 6-12cm in diameter, depending on the cultivar chosen, so you might want to mix them in with larger flowers for a pleasing contrast.
Some of the best dwarf zinnias for cutting include the ‘Magellan Mix’ (featuring clusters of petals in warm, Magellan tones), ‘Star Starbright’ (with star-shaped blossoms in gold, orange and white colours) and ‘Thumbelina Mix’ (boasting dainty blooms in every shade of pink and purple you can think of).
4) Z. ‘Giant Cactus’
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
Hailing from the balmy climes of Mexico, ‘Giant Cactus’ zinnias differ from all other varieties on this list in that their petals are curled rather than flat.
This is especially alluring in a cut display, as it will stand out against other contrasting flower heads.
Their petals are also double-flowering and reach around 12cm in diameter normally, with stems that can exceed 70cm tall on occasion.
With shades ranging from whites, through yellows and oranges, into pinks and purples, there’s a ‘Giant Cactus’ for every colour scheme.
5) Z. haageana ‘Jazzy Mixed’
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
The double and half-double blooms of ‘Jazzy Mix’ are certainly not the largest out there, generally only spanning between 2-5cm in diameter.
However, what they lack in stature, they more than make up for in vigour, since they belong to the cut-and-come-again family of zinnias.
This means that you can take multiple cuttings from the same plant, and even the same stem, throughout the growing season.
What’s more, the white or yellow edging at their tips immediately draws focus through the striking contrast with the darker tones of scarlet and burgundy at their centre.
These flowers are small but mighty.
6) Z. elegans ‘Mazurkia’
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
‘Mazurkia’ zinnias are not a million miles away from ‘Jazzy Mix’ in their colour scheme, since they too feature a two-toned aesthetic.
At the centre, their flowers are a deep crimson, fading out to light cream at the extremities of the petals.
They’re also on the smaller side, rarely exceeding 8cm in diameter.
As such, they’re an ideal choice for placing alongside other red and white zinnias or, indeed, any other flower of that hue.
For best results, try combining blossoms of various sizes to create texture and structure in your cut display.
7) Z. ‘Oklahoma Mixed’
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
Another cultivar featuring blossoms on the smaller side (around 6cm in diameter), the ‘Oklahoma Series’ was specifically engineered for those who grow with the explicit intention of cutting for arrangements.
As such, they lend themselves perfectly to any type of bouquet thanks to their lengthy stems.
Like ‘Benary’s Giant’, these zinnias come in a wide variety of different shades and they’re handily named as such too.
What’s more, every colour comes in semi-double and fully-double guises, so you can really customise the aesthetic you’re trying to achieve.
8) Z. ‘Peppermint Stick Mixed’
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
One of the most striking types of zinnia, the ‘Peppermint Stick Mix’ looks like something you might find in a bell jar in an old-fashioned sweet shop from the Dickensian era.
The flashes of dappled colour really offset the brilliant whiteness of their background, making them an eye-catching cut flower.
Indeed, they’re especially attractive in a vase, since they require close quarters for the full extent of their charms to reveal themselves.
As such, they’ll grow just fine in your back garden, but they won’t be nearly as head-turning when viewed from a distance.
9) Z. elegans ‘Pop Art’
- HARDINESS RATING: H2
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
Would you just feast your eyes on this marvel of the horticultural world?
Admittedly, I’ve never had the good fortune to witness a specimen as truly stunning as the one pictured above in the flesh, but even your run-of-the-mill ‘Pop Art’ zinnias are quite a sight to behold.
Like their ‘Peppermint Stick Mix’ counterparts, ‘Pop Art’ zinnias feature speckles of red on either a white or yellow background.
They’ll certainly create a talking point for your indoor display, regardless of the actual appearance of the specimen you end up with.
