Aurora Zinnia brings two-tone vintage blooms to gardens in hardiness zones 4-8, offering a romantic color palette that stands apart from typical zinnia varieties. This open-pollinated cultivar reaches full maturity in 75-85 days, producing abundant flowers from late September through early autumn. Growing as a bushy plant that thrives in full sun with just 9 inches of spacing, Aurora is particularly well-suited to maritime climates and makes an exceptional cut flower for arrangements that capture the season's transitional beauty.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-8
?in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Aurora's defining feature is its distinctive two-tone bloom coloring in shades that feel distinctly vintage and romantic. The plant blooms right into September and beyond, extending your zinnia season when most varieties have faded. Its compact, bushy growth habit and relatively quick 75-85 day maturation make it manageable for most gardeners, while the exceptional cut flower quality means every bloom you harvest feels purposeful. For gardeners in maritime or coastal regions especially, this variety proves its worth year after year.
Aurora zinnias excel as cut flowers, with their two-tone blooms holding up beautifully in arrangements once fully mature. Their extended late-season flowering makes them invaluable for September bouquets and autumn floral designs when other cutting varieties have declined. The bushy growth habit means you'll have plenty of stems to harvest without compromising the plant's overall appearance.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors in 72-cell flats or your preferred seedling container 4 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds and cover them, then maintain temperatures between 70-75°F (21-24°C) for germination, which typically occurs in 5-7 days. A heat mat helps maintain consistent temperature. Avoid allowing seedlings to become root bound, and handle them gently to prevent transplant shock.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after your last spring frost, spacing them 9 inches apart. Choose a location with full sun exposure for best results.
You can also direct sow seeds 1/4 inch deep directly into garden soil after the last frost date.
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