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This easy-to-grow garden classic delivers blooms in nearly
every color of the rainbow. [1]
The genus was honoured to the German
anatomist and botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727-1759). The name of the species is the Latin
adjective “elegans”= distinct, elegant, with obvious reference.
Introduced in Europe by the end of
‘700 (1796), it has raised immediately the interest and already
during the very first years of its diffusion. [2] Zinnias prefer a position in full
sun, long warm summers, and freedom from cold drafts and sudden weather
changes. In favourable conditions few other flowers can make such a lengthy
display. Moist well-drained soil is ideal, though they can withstand dry
periods. Deadhead frequently and use liquid fertilizers to ensure continued
blooming and steady growth. Propagate from seed. [3] Zinnia elegans is an upright and
sturdy, daisy-like annual that flowers profusely over a 2 month period in the
summer. It can be easily grown from seed
(under glass in early spring) and will flower within 6 weeks of planting out. They come in a many varieties
including single3, semi-double and double flowered and make very good cut flowers.
20 species in the genus and hundreds
of cultivars in many colours, shapes and forms including some giant sized
flowers up to 15cms in diameter. There are striped varieties as well as
bi-colour and speckled alomng with pom-pom styles very similar to Dahlias. [4]
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