15 New Seed Varieties We’re Ordering In January

In addition to personal favorites and top performers, it’s hard to resist new seed varieties to try in our collections. And why not? These may become fast favorites, too! From edibles to ornamentals, browsing seed catalogs is an inspiring activity this time of year. Dream up the springtime garden on these winter days and get a jumpstart on seed selection as part of planning.

Zinnia ‘Queeny Lime Red’

	botanical name Zinnia elegans ‘Queeny Lime Red’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 30-40”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Zinnias of all sorts bring dynamic annual color with large, vibrant, double-disc flowers. Their blooms range from white to magenta to lime. Heat-loving, they bloom continuously as temperatures warm through frost.

‘Queeny Lime’ is a longtime favorite for its tall blooms on sturdy stems. It performs well in high heat and humidity with good disease resistance. ‘Queeny Lime Red’ offers a twist with burgundy red outer petals that transition to lime centers. ‘Red’ is a Fleuroselect Novelty award winner.

Zinnias grow easily from seed. Direct sow in warm soils after the final frost, or start indoors four to six weeks prior. While not essential, zinnias respond well to deadheading to promote more blooms (so use them freely in fresh floral arrangements!). They need ample air circulation and well-drained soil for the best health. 

Pink Rose Mallow

	botanical name Lavatera trimestris
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-4’
	hardiness zones 2-11

This heirloom annual has papery pink petals that comprise billowy hibiscus blooms. The two to three-inch saucers cover the plants from summer to early fall, creating a showy display and pollinator draw.

Annual rose mallow grows quickly from seed, blooming in as little as 65 days. These are best direct-sown a week or two after the final frost. To get an earlier start, seed them indoors four to six weeks before the final cool blast. Ideal germination is in soils above 65°F (18°C).

Rose mallow is low maintenance, thriving in average soils and medium moisture. It has a shrubby form with shallowly lobed leaves. Deadhead spent blooms to extend flowering. Mallow may reseed.

Echinacea ‘Alan’s Pride’

	botanical name Echinacea purpurea ‘Alan’s Pride’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 20-36”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Echinacea is a valuable North American native perennial for pollinators and gardeners alike. The species has purple ray petals surrounding central cones packed with florets that develop seeds.

‘Alan’s Pride’ is a 2022 Fleuoroselect Novelty winner with flat lime green petals around a gold central disc. The zesty selection is named for renowned plant breeder Alan Sparkes and is a first-year bloomer.

Coneflower needs cold stratification to germinate. Sow them outdoors before the last frost for natural exposure, or start them early indoors, 10 to 12 weeks before transplanting, simulating the cold period in your refrigerator ahead of planting. Echinacea withstands high heat and dry conditions. For best blooming, provide regular moisture and good drainage.

‘Lemon Drop’ Chili Pepper

	botanical name Capsicum baccatum ‘Lemon Drop’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 20-24”
	hardiness zones 2-11

These showy peppers, also called ‘Aji Limón,’ are lemony yellow with a flavor to match. Ornamental in the garden and spicy in the kitchen, these Peruvian heirlooms have the heat level of cayenne with citrusy notes and fragrance. 

Enjoy ‘Lemon Drop’ fresh or dried for warm heat from two to three-inch long, bright yellow fruits. Each pepper holds only 10-15 seeds for easy use. Plants produce large numbers of peppers, though they are slow to mature. Allow 100 days to fruit, and start seeds indoors to get a jump on growing. 

In mild climates, sow them outdoors as soil temperatures reach 70°F (21°C). In colder climates, start them eight to ten weeks before transplanting in warm conditions. ‘Lemon Drop’ is well-suited to beds and containers. Grow them for culinary heritage, ornamental value, and spicing up your vegetable selection.

Cucumber ‘Quick Snack’

	botanical name Cucumis sativus (hybrid) ‘Quick Snack’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 20-24” vines
	hardiness zones 2-11

Dwarf cucumber varieties save space while producing sizeable yields on compact vines. ‘Quick Snack’ innovates as a mini indoor grower with short vines and tasty small fruits. Sow them directly in six to eight-inch pots in spring through fall.

Indoor sowing is best. Outdoors, wait until two weeks after the frost or when soil temps are at least 60°F or 16°C (ideally 70°F or 21°C and above). ‘Quick Snack’ matures in under 45 days without the need for pollination. Indoors, fruits are seedless and best picked when young, around two inches long and one inch wide.

‘Quick Snack’ needs six to eight hours of sunlight to thrive. Situate them on a sunny windowsill or countertop. Their compact size is ideal for balcony and small space gardens.

Bush Beans ‘Maxibel Filet’

	botanical name Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Maxibel Filet’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 22-24”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Bush beans are compact and bushy – perfect for containers, small spaces, or anywhere you want a prolific producer that doesn’t need staking. ‘Maxibel Filet’ are French green beans, long, slender, sweet, and tender. The full-length lean beans are stringless and grow six to eight inches.

Bush beans have a delicate root system and are best direct-sown with adequate spacing for air circulation. They mature in about 50 days. Harvest the pods regularly to keep them producing more. 

These beans thrive in mild conditions with summer temperatures below 90°F (32°C). Spring and fall sowing is best for hot climates.

Poppy ‘Pandora’

	botanical name Papaver rhoeas ‘Pandora’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 15-25”
	hardiness zones 3-10

The common poppy (also Flanders or corn poppy) has broad, tissuey petals and contrasting yellow centers that are pollinator magnets. The easy-to-grow annuals prefer cool weather and die back in the heat of summer.

‘Pandora’ brings tall double and semi-double blooms on slender stems. Beginning in shades of deep burgundy and wine red, petals transition to pinkish-red as they age. Silvery highlights add to the color variations of each bloom.

Direct sow ‘Pandora’ to avoid disturbing sensitive roots at transplanting. Plant seeds as soon as the soil is workable, about four to six weeks before your final spring frost date. As flowers fade, remove spent blooms to prevent reseeding if you don’t want future volunteers.

Strawflower ‘King Size Silvery Rose’ 

	botanical name Xerochrysum bracteatum ‘King Size Silvery Rose’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 36-40”
	hardiness zones 8-10

Strawflower is a warm-season annual with a long-lasting display from spring until frost. The unique flowers are stiff and papery in white, yellow, orange, pink, and red. 

‘King Size Silvery Rose’ shines with double blooms in white, soft rose, and pink shades. Also called “everlastings,” strawflower is beautiful in fresh and dried florals. ‘Silvery Rose’ dries to light silver to brighten arrangements.

Carefree strawflower grows in average to dry soils, tolerating drought. Remove spent flowers to encourage new shoots and additional flowering.

Rudbeckia ‘Cherry Brandy’

	botanical name Rudbeckia hirta ‘Cherry Brandy’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 20-24”
	hardiness zones 9-10

Rudbeckia hirta is an unfussy North American native wildflower that performs in hot, humid, and dry situations. It grows naturally in meadows and prairies, flowering continually from summer through frost. Its showy golden daisy flowers have chocolate button centers.

The variety ‘Cherry Brandy’ brings deep scarlet and cherry red shades with chocolate centers. The three to four-inch blooms add warmth and vibrance all summer long and into autumn, right in time to complement seasonal hues. ‘Cherry Brandy’ is a Fleuroselect Novelty award winner.

Rudbeckia is ideal for pollinator gardens and naturalized plantings among ornamental grasses and other flowering perennials. Deadhead to prolong blooming. Clip leaves that become brown or worn late in the season, or let them persist for winter protection.

Phlox ‘Cherry Caramel’

	botanical name Phlox drummondii ‘Cherry Caramel’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 15-25”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Annual phlox lends a blanket of blooms and a sweet scent on mounding, low-growing foliage. Native to Texas and the southeastern portions of North America, the species is rich pink with numerous cultivars in lavender, red, and white to brighten the front of the border and containers in spring and fall. They make lasting additions to floral arrangements.

‘Cherry Caramel’ is another award-winning seed variety. It is quick-to-bloom with creamy, tawny petals and dark cherry centers. Clusters of one-inch blooms create a delicious swirl of color and fragrance.

Direct sow two to four weeks before spring’s final freeze to avoid transplant disturbance, or sow them early indoors in biodegradable pots. Phlox prefers loose, humusy, well-drained soils but adapts to various types (as long as they have good drainage).

California Poppy ‘Sparky Apricot’

	botanical name Eschscholzia californica ‘Sparky Apricot’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6-12”
	hardiness zones 8-10

As North American natives, California poppies bring zest to challenging growing areas. Feathery blue-green foliage and cupped, silky orange blooms conceal their tough-as-nails nature. They thrive in poor, well-draining soils in full sun.

A softer variety, ‘Sparky Apricot’ glimmers in warm hues of apricot and red. Seed them in groups or drifts for a full display of the double and semi-double blooms atop the fine-textured leaves. 

As poppies don’t respond well to root disturbance, direct sow them several weeks before winter’s end as soils are workable. Ideal soil temperatures for germination are 50-60°F (10-16°C). In mild climates, enjoy them as fall and winter annuals with a late summer sow.

Gomphrena ‘Lavender Lady’

	botanical name Gomphrena globosa ‘Lavender Lady’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 24-28”
	hardiness zones 9-11

Gomphrena globosa, or globe amaranth, is an old garden favorite with petite pink, purple, red, gold, magenta, or white flowers. Gomphrena blooms are globed pom-poms with a papery texture.

Pollinators flock to ‘Lavender Lady’ with its rounds of soft purple on compact plants. The durable annual takes the heat and summer sun in stride, tolerating dry situations and humidity, too. They may reseed or overwinter in mild climates.

To get a jump start on growth, start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before transplanting as frost passes. ‘Lavender Lady’ retains its color in fresh and dried arrangements.

Sweet William ‘Sweet Rose Magic’

	botanical name Dianthus barbatus ‘Sweet Rose Magic’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 18-36”
	hardiness zones 3-9

This annual dianthus bears domed clusters full of color-shifting blooms. The magic show begins as petals emerge white, turn pale pink, and age to deep rose. The blossoms have flat, open faces with fringy edges.

Sturdy stems hold the flowers above narrow, lanced foliage and carry a delicate fragrance.

‘Sweet Rose Magic’ boasts good uniformity, strong branching, and tolerates light frost. Deadhead to foster continued flowering. Start seeds indoors or out, ordering seeds in January for seeding eight to ten weeks indoors before frost-free conditions.

Summer Squash ‘Chiffon’

	botanical name Cucurbita pepo ‘Chiffon’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

This early-developing summer squash has a bushy habit and yields pretty pale yellow fruits with tender, creamy white interiors. Their compact form – three to four feet wide with short vines – is ideal for containers, raised beds, and generally not hogging space as a sprawling cucurbit.

Squash thrives in warm temperatures in consistently moist, well-drained soil. To prevent diseases, avoid overhead watering that splashes leaves and flowers (though ‘Chiffon’ shows moderate resistance to powdery mildew).

Easily grown from seed, plant squash one to two weeks after the final frost and when soil temperature warms above 70°F (21°C). In areas with short growing seasons, ‘Chiffon’ is a good option and matures in just over 40 days. Try starting them indoors in biodegradable pots in abbreviated warm seasons.

Bush Tomato ‘Beefy Purple’

	botanical name Solanum lycopersicum ‘Beefy Purple’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

‘Beefy Purple’ yields hefty fruits on determinate, compact forms for versatile planting situations. Twelve to 14-ounce tomatoes are dusky mahogany with green stripes and purple interiors. With a rich, sweet, smokey flavor, this selection is both ornamental and delicious! Fruits are firm with a good shelf life.