Zinnia, Polar Bear

Polar Bear Zinnia is a white, dahlia-flowering heirloom zinnia. The blooms are large and fully double, about 4 to 5 inches across, in a soft creamy white. Each flower has a golden center that opens into small yellow stars as it ages. Plants grow 30 to 40 inches tall on long, branching stems, making the flowers easy to cut for bouquets.

This is an old, heirloom variety, showing up in seed catalogs since the 1870s. The species is native to Mexico. Plants grow fast and bloom for a long stretch, from mid to late summer until the first frost.

Zinnias are heat-loving annuals that work well as cut flowers, and the blooms hold up a long time in a vase. The white flowers also show up well in low light, so they stay visible at dusk, and they pair nicely with other white flowers like cosmos. 'Polar Bear' is also a good choice for pollinator plantings, as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are drawn to the flowers.