FlowerZinnia
Cut and Come Again Zinnia
Cut and Come Again Zinnia is an open-pollinated annual flower that lives up to its name by producing waves of blooms from midsummer through the first frost. Growing 18 to 30 inches tall in upright branching plants, this heirloom variety reaches harvestable size in 60 to 69 days and thrives across hardiness zones 3 through 10. The flowers arrive in vibrant red, pink, orange, yellow, purple, and white, making it equally stunning in garden beds, containers, and as a cut flower that rewards frequent picking with even more abundant branching and blooms.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Moderately Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
9
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-10
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
This variety's real strength is in its responsiveness to cutting. The more you harvest the blooms, the more the plant branches and produces, giving you a steady supply of fresh flowers for bouquets all summer long. The open-pollinated genetics and heirloom status mean you can save seeds year after year, and the plant's natural vigor makes it nearly foolproof for gardeners at any skill level.
Common Uses
Cut and Come Again Zinnia is grown primarily as a cut flower for fresh summer bouquets, though it equally excels in garden beds, borders, and containers where its upright habit and continuous blooming provide color from midsummer until frost. The variety attracts pollinators, making it valuable in gardens designed to support bees and butterflies. Its versatility allows it to function as a bedding plant for mass color, a border filler, or a focal point in a cutting garden dedicated to homegrown arrangements.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Sow seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date, planting them 1/2 inch deep and 3 inches apart in seed-starting mix. Keep the soil warm and moist and provide strong light until seedlings are ready to transplant outdoors when both day and night temperatures rise above 50°F. Zinnias do not benefit from being started too early; sow them late enough that they reach transplant size just as soil has warmed.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after your last frost date once nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50°F. Space plants 9 inches apart in full sun. If starting indoors, thin or transplant seedlings to 12 inches apart when they are large enough to handle, giving them room to mature and providing good air circulation to discourage disease.
Direct Sow
In early spring, sow seeds directly in full sun in finely worked soil, spacing seeds about 1/2 inch apart and covering them lightly with 1/4 inch of fine soil. Keep the seedbed evenly moist until germination. For a continuous supply, make small successive sowings until summer weather turns hot. You can also plant again in late summer for ample fall harvesting.
Harvesting
Harvest flowers when the blossoms first open and petals are still tight for the longest vase life. Cut long stems well back into the plant, removing at least one-third of the stem to encourage branching. Pick frequently; the more you cut, the more blooms the plant produces. Regular harvesting extends the flowering season and keeps the plant vigorous from midsummer until the first frost.
Pruning
Cut long stems well back into the plant as you harvest flowers, cutting when blossoms first open and petals are tight. This aggressive cutting keeps plants branching low and encourages continuous, abundant bloom production throughout the season. Removing spent flowers before they set seed reinforces the plant's tendency to keep flowering rather than focusing energy on seed development.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Scientific Classification
Zinnia elegans
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Zinnia
Growth Habit
Upright
History & Origin
“Cut and Come Again Zinnia carries the lineage of Zinnia elegans, a species native to Mexico that was introduced to European gardens in the 18th century and eventually developed into the reliable garden varieties we grow today. This cultivar's name directly reflects a gardening principle that has long appealed to cut flower growers: the plant's capacity to produce more flowers when harvested regularly rather than left to exhaust itself setting seed. The open-pollinated heritage of this variety means gardeners can participate in the same seed-saving tradition that has kept this flower vigorous and adaptable across generations.”