Macarenia Zinnia is a dahlia-flowered heirloom that stops you cold with its audacious two-toned blooms: crimson velvet petals rimmed and laced with gold. These large, fully double flowers emerge reliably in 60 to 70 days from seed, making it one of the faster zinnias to reach peak bloom. The plants stay compact at 24 inches tall but produce a generous, continuous supply of flowers from midsummer through the first frost, earning their reputation as exceptional cut flowers. Growing in full sun and moderate water, these zinnias are drought tolerant once established and irresistible to pollinators, making them a stellar addition to sunny borders where you want flowers that keep giving.
9
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
24in H x 12in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
The color combination is genuinely stunning: large, intricately double blooms in deep crimson with bright gold accents create a visual richness that feels almost baroque. Despite the large flowers, the plants remain manageable at 24 inches with a tidy footprint of 12 inches wide, making them work beautifully in containers or at the front of borders. Blooming continuously from June through November with minimal fussing once established, this heirloom tolerates drought well and attracts pollinators throughout the season, delivering cut-flower abundance from a compact plant.
Macarenia Zinnia excels as a cut flower, with its large, fully double blooms holding up exceptionally well in arrangements and lasting longer in the vase than many annuals. The continuous summer-to-fall bloom window makes it valuable for fresh flower arrangements and garden color, with gardeners relying on steady, generous yields of blooms throughout the growing season.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date, maintaining soil temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination. Plant seeds at a depth of 1/4 inch, keeping soil moist but not soggy. Seeds sprout in 4 to 6 days under ideal conditions.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last spring frost when soil has warmed to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting. Space plants 9 inches apart in their final location.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last spring frost date once soil has warmed. Sow seeds at a depth of 1/4 inch and keep soil moist until germination. Thin seedlings to 9 inches apart once they have emerged and developed their first true leaves.
Cut flowers for arrangements when blooms are fully open but still fresh, cutting stems in the early morning when plants are well-hydrated. Hold stems under cool running water immediately after cutting and condition in a bucket of cool water for at least 2 hours before arranging. Remove any foliage that would sit below the waterline in your vase to reduce bacterial growth and extend vase life.
Pinch back the first set of flower buds when seedlings are 6 to 8 inches tall to encourage branching and increase overall flower production. Beyond this initial pinching, deadhead spent blooms regularly throughout the season to maintain continuous flowering until frost.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.