How to Grow Zinnia Oklahoma Blaze

Zinnia Oklahoma Blaze

Zinnia elegans 'Oklahoma Blaze'

flower

Oklahoma Blaze is a vibrant zinnia cultivar known for its striking red-orange flowers with golden-yellow tips, creating a distinctive flame-like appearance. This compact, bushy variety is a reliable annual that blooms prolifically from summer through fall. It's an excellent choice for borders, containers, and cut flower arrangements.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily (prefers 8+ hours for best bloom production)

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Water: Moderate watering; allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Once established, quite drought-tolerant. Avoid overhead watering to prevent powdery mildew.

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Spacing: 12-18 inches

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Days to maturity: 60-70

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Planting depth: 1/4 inch (seeds); transplants at soil line

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy to sandy soil

pH: 6.0-7.5

Amendments:

Compost aged manure perlite for drainage

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives as an annual in zones 2-11; grows vigorously in zones 5-9

2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b

Growth Stages

Seedling

2-3 weeks

Tiny seedlings with 2-4 true leaves emerge within 7-10 days. Plants are delicate and pale green.

Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide bright light and maintain temperatures above 70°F. Thin or transplant when 2 true leaves appear.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Plants develop sturdy stems and bushy foliage with increasingly larger, lance-shaped green leaves. Growth is rapid and compact.

Pinch back growing tips when 6 inches tall to encourage bushier, fuller growth. Reduce watering frequency as plants establish. Fertilize lightly with balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.

Flowering Initiation

1-2 weeks

Flower buds begin to form at branch tips. Plant continues to grow taller while buds swell and elongate.

Continue pinching if plants are leggy. Switch to lower-nitrogen fertilizer (higher phosphorus) to support blooming. Ensure consistent watering but allow soil surface to dry between waterings.

Peak Bloom

8-12 weeks

Masses of red-orange double or semi-double flowers with golden-yellow petal tips open prolifically. Flowers are 2-3 inches across and create a fiery display.

Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming. Water deeply when top inch of soil is dry. Feed every 2 weeks with bloom-boosting fertilizer. Spray preventatively for powdery mildew if weather is humid.

Maturity & Harvest

Until first frost

Plant reaches full size (typically 24-30 inches tall) and continues flowering until frost. Flowers remain vibrant if deadheaded regularly, or set seed if allowed to mature.

Cut flowers in early morning for longest vase life. Leave some spent flowers to develop seed heads if you want self-sown volunteers next year. Reduce watering slightly in late summer.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Salvia Verbena Coreopsis Black-eyed Susan Marigold Celosia Dusty Miller Ornamental grasses

Avoid planting near:

Fennel Dill

Common Pests

Ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering; spray with sulfur or neem oil if needed; thin dense foliage
Spray foliage with water to dislodge; use insecticidal soap or neem oil; increase humidity around plants
Use yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap; encourage natural predators like ladybugs
Spray with strong water stream; use insecticidal soap; apply neem oil; attract beneficial insects
and
Handpick in early morning; use copper tape barriers; apply diatomaceous earth; set beer traps

Uses

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Edible Flowers

Culinary

Zinnia petals are edible and add peppery, slightly spicy flavor and striking visual appeal to salads, garnishes, and desserts. [source]

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Cut Flowers & Arrangements

Craft

Oklahoma Blaze is prized for cut flower arrangements, bouquets, and floral designs due to its long vase life and vibrant flame-like colors. [source]

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Pollinator Support

Wildlife

Zinnias are excellent nectar sources that attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds throughout the blooming season. [source]

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Dried Flowers

Household

Dried zinnia flowers retain their vibrant colors and are used in dried arrangements, wreaths, and craft projects. [source]

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Traditional Herbal Use

Medicinal

Zinnia flowers have been used in traditional medicine for their potential anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Cut flowers in early morning when stems are fully hydrated but before heat of day. Use sharp scissors or pruners to cut stems at a 45-degree angle just above a leaf node. Remove lower leaves from cut stems. Change water every 2-3 days. Zinnia flowers typically last 7-14 days in a vase. Deadhead spent flowers on plants to extend blooming season until frost.

Fun Facts

🌱 Oklahoma Blaze was bred and introduced in Oklahoma, reflecting the state's horticulture legacy and the flower's heat tolerance—it thrives in hot, dry summers where many flowers struggle.
🌱 Zinnias are native to Mexico and are named after Johann Gottfried Zinn, an 18th-century botanist; they were brought to Europe in the 1700s and have since become beloved worldwide.
🌱 A single deadheaded zinnia plant can produce hundreds of flowers over a season; the more you harvest or deadhead, the more blooms it produces in a remarkable display of resilience.

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