Zinnia Benary’s Giant Lilac

Zinnia Benary’s Giant Lilac Seeds

(Premium Cut Flower Series — Ernst Benary, Lilac)

Benary’s Giant Lilac is from Ernst Benary, one of the oldest German seed companies, founded in Erfurt in 1843. The company’s long association with zinnia breeding reached its zenith with the Benary’s Giant series — a tall, large-flowered Zinnia elegans strain selected specifically for the professional cut flower trade and refined over decades to deliver the combination of stem length, flower size, color clarity, disease resistance, and vase life that professional growers demand.

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers named the Benary’s Giant series their very first Cut Flower of the Year in 1999 — a recognition from the professional cut flower industry that has held for over two decades and confirmed the series as the definitive benchmark against which all other cut flower zinnias are measured. The series produces long, thick stems that are less likely to bend when being cut than other zinnias. The 10–15 cm flowers are produced in clear, bright, uniform colors that catch the eye. This zinnia series was selected for its greater tolerance to diseases than other cut flower zinnias and longer vase life.

Benary’s Giant Lilac features rounded, fully double flowers packed with lilac petals and opening up to 15 cm across. As the flower matures, a circle of small golden stars surrounds its central disc. The blooms start out a vivid lilac and with time the outer petals fade to a cool pale lavender, giving it a haunting, ombré effect.

Benary’s Giant Lilac is a facultative short-day plant — the plants will flower under all day lengths, but earlier flowering can be expected under short days. This flowering response is directly relevant to Kuwait, where the short days of November through February coincide with the cool season, meaning that plants sown in October will be stimulated by the naturally shortening day length to flower earlier and more freely than they would under the long days of summer production in northern climates.
Zinnias are edible but have little flavor. The colorful flowers can make a pretty garnish to salads, desserts, cold drinks, or serving trays — though the central disc, while edible, can be bitter.

Variety Details

• Botanical Name: Zinnia elegans
• Series: Benary’s Giant
• Breeder: Ernst Benary’s Samenzucht GmbH (Germany, est. 1843)
• Award: Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers of the Year 1999 — first year of the award
• Seed Type: Open pollinated
• Plant Type: Half-hardy annual
• Family: Asteraceae
• Flower Colors: Lilac

Key Features

• Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers of the Year 1999 — the definitive professional recommendation for cut flower zinnias
• Ernst Benary breeding — 180+ years of German seed breeding excellence
• Largest-flowered zinnia series available from seed — blooms up to 15 cm across
• Long, thick stems of 90–120 cm — less likely to bend than other zinnias
• Superior disease resistance — mildew and leaf spot tolerance bred specifically for this series
• Longer vase life than standard zinnias — 7+ days
• Cut-and-come-again — plants rebranch and reflower after every cut
• Facultative short-day response — earlier flowering in Kuwait’s naturally short winter days
• Colors: Lilac (vivid lilac aging to pale lavender)
• Edible flowers — mild flavor suitable as garnish

Plant Information

• Height: 90–120 cm
• Spread: 30–40 cm
• Plant Type: Half-hardy annual
• Habit: Tall, upright, well-branched
• Flower Size: 10–15 cm across
• Flower Form: Fully double, dahlia-type, rounded
• Days to Flower: 75–90 days from sowing
• Color — Lilac: Vivid lilac aging to pale lavender ombré with golden central stars at maturity

Germination Instructions

• Sow one seed per plug into well-draining media at pH 5.8–6.2.
• Cover the seeds with vermiculite or substrate after sowing.
• Maintain 21–24°C for the first week, then reduce to 20°C.
• When roots reach the bottom of the cell, temperature can be lowered to 18°C.
• Temperatures below 12°C result in slow and uneven germination.
• Expect radicle emergence in 3–5 days.
• Transplant to final position once seedlings have four to five true leaves, spacing 25–30 cm apart.
• Do not allow plants to become root-bound — transplant shock or other stress events may cause double-flowering varieties to produce single blooms for a period following stress.
• Avoid disturbing roots during transplanting.
• Pinch plants when 20–30 cm tall to encourage strong branching and maximum stem production.
• For Kuwait: Benary’s Giant requires warm germination conditions and performs best when sown from September indoors for transplanting in October, or direct-sown outdoors in October when soil temperature is consistently above 20°C.
• No refrigeration or cool germination setup is required.

Growing Tips

• Grow in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter, pH 6.0–7.0. Water regularly at soil level — keep leaves dry.
• Remove spent blossoms frequently to prolong blooming.
• Space plants 25–30 cm apart to ensure the air circulation that is critical for disease resistance — even the mildew-resistant
• Benary’s Giant benefits from open spacing in Kuwait’s occasionally humid cool-season conditions.
• Succession-sow every 2 weeks for a prolonged harvest of high-quality cut flower stems.
• Avoid high nitrogen fertilization — high nitrogen results in soft stems that break underneath the flower.
• Fertilize weekly at 100–150 ppm nitrogen using a complete balanced fertilizer.
• For cut flower harvest, apply the wiggle test: grab the stem 20 cm below the flower and shake gently — if stiff and erect it is ready; if droopy or bending, wait.
• Expect a vase life of 7 days. Add a few drops of bleach to vase water as zinnias can make water murky.
• Do not refrigerate cut zinnia stems.

Gulf Planting Season

• Indoor sowing (seed trays): September to mid-October
• Transplant outdoors or direct sow outdoors: October to November
• Peak flowering season: November to March
• Extended season: continues into April with hot-day performance superior to most cool-season annuals
• Note: Benary’s Giant benefits directly from Kuwait’s short-day winter — the facultative short-day flowering response means plants sown in October will experience naturally shortening days from November onward that actively stimulate earlier and more abundant flowering.
• The tall stems of 90–120 cm require protection from strong wind; position in a sheltered spot or provide light stake support in exposed raised bed locations.
• Succession sowing every two weeks from October to November ensures a continuous harvest of fresh cut flower stems throughout the cool season.

Garden & Floral Uses

• Benary’s Giant is primarily a professional-grade cut flower zinnia and the series through which all other cut flower zinnias are measured.
• The long, thick stems are less likely to bend when cut than other zinnias, and the 10–15 cm flowers in clear, bright, uniform colors make long-lasting standouts in bouquets.
• It is a cut-and-come-again flower — plants rebranch and reflower after every cut, yielding multiple harvests across the season.
• In the garden, the 90–120 cm plants provide strong architectural height at the back of borders and raised beds, with the large dahlia-like blooms creating a bold statement visible from a distance.
• Lilac is the most versatile for sophisticated arrangements — its ombré lilac-to-lavender progression gives each stem a built-in tonal depth that pairs with white, cream, and silver for bridal work, and with deep burgundy and plum for richly coloured mixed bouquets.