Zinnia elegans, commonly known as Zinnia, is a popular flowering plant. It produces colourful flowers that can beautify a garden, or outdoor space. If you plan to grow this houseplant, make sure you are aware of its soil, light and water requirements. Here is a guide.
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Zinnia elegans: Quick facts
| Plant name | Zinnia elegans |
| Common names | Elegant zinnia, youth-and-age |
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Found in | South and Central America, West Indies, the United States, Australia, and Italy |
| Flower | Pink, red, yellow, purple, and white |
| Fruit | Achene, one-seeded fruit that does not open to release the seed |
| Foliage | Ovate to elliptic |
| Flower blooming season | Summer |
| Benefits | Produce dyes |
see also: about Cosmos Bipinnatus
Zinnia elegans varieties
There are hundreds of cultivars of the plant in numerous flower colours, sizes, and forms. Some giant forms are also grown, with flower heads up to 15 cm in diameter.
Cactus Flowered Mix
This variety is characterised by narrow and curved petals. It appears in multiple colours, such as pink, yellow, scarlet, orange, and white. The Cactus Flowered Mix grows up to a height of 30 inches and spans 12 to 18 inches.
Big Red
This variety of Zinnia elegans is known for big, scarlet-coloured flowers of around six inches in size. This variety quickly blooms within 35 days after germination in ideal conditions.
Colour Crackle
This variety produces flowers with a classic mix of burgundy and white and grows well in varied conditions.
Crystal White
The Zinnia elegans variety produces attractive single flowers with a yellowish centre. It may also have orange and yellow petals. The plant can withstand pest attacks and extreme summers.
California Giant Mix
The California Giant Mix variety of Zinnia elegans grows to the height of four feet and produces colourful flowers of orange-pink, red, and yellow hues. It usually takes longer to mature than other varieties and blooms in 75 to 90 days.
Dahlia Flowered Mix
Dahlia-flowered Zinnia varieties produce large flowers packed with petals, curving slightly downward around the perimeter
Double Zahara Yellow
This is a hybrid variety of Z. Elegans and Z. Angustifolia. The plant is known to be drought-and-disease-resistant. It is ideal to be used as cut flowers.
Profusion Cherry
This is a variety of Z. elegans and produces cherry red, single flowers with yellow centres. The plants spread from 12 to 18 inches.
Queeny Lime Orange
This is a recent variety of Zinnia, known for its distinct tricolour blooms. The plants can reach up to 30 to 40 inches in height.
Envy
It is an heirloom variety of Zinnia elegans characterised by green petals flowers with yellow centres. The petals are three to four inches in size.
Peppermint Stick
This is a colourful variety of Zinnia characterised by red and white flowers and a mix of shades like pink, crimson, orange, scarlet, and yellow.
Zinnia elegans characteristics
Zinnia is a perennial flowering plant of the Asteraceae family. The uncultivated zinnia plant grows to the height of around 15 cm. It comprises solitary flower heads about five cm across. The black and yellow discs are surrounded by purple ray florets. The narrow, oval-shaped leaves of the plant are opposite the flower heads.
Zinnia elegans: History
Zinnia elegans is an annual, deciduous plant. Earlier, zinnias were mainly used as cut flowers. However, they are now widely used in home landscapes in a variety of colours. Zinnia was named in the honour of Johann Gottfried Zinn, a German botanist, who described the species now called as Zinnia peruviana, in 1757.
Zinnia elegans flower
Flowers of Zinnia elegans bloom during summer or fall. They have a long blooming season. One of the interesting features of Zinnia elegans is that it produces flowers in a wide variety of colours, such as:
- Pink
- Orange/ apricot/salmon
- Purple or lavender
- Red or burgundy
- White
- Gold/yellow
- Bronze
Zinnia elegans: Pollinator
Zinnias attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Hence, they can be grown in any pollinator garden. The plants serve as wonderful companion for fruits and vegetables.
Zinnia elegans: Common problems
Zinnias are relatively disease-resistant plants. Hence, they are ideal for any garden, especially if you want to minimise the use of chemicals in your garden. However, Zinnias can be prone to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, and bacterial leaf spot, bacterial wilt.
Moreover, the plant must be protected from common pests such as cutworms, mealybugs, and spider mites. It is recommended to conduct regular inspection and treatment with suitable fungicides and insecticides to prevent these problems.
Zinnia elegans propagation
How to grow Zinnia Elegans from cuttings
You can grow Zinnias from cuttings. Choose young cuttings that grow well. When you take cuttings, it is recommended to wait till the stem attains a minimum length of eight to 12 inches with several leaves and when it is not flowering or budding.
How to grow Zinnia Elegans from seeds
Growing Zinnias from seeds is easy. Sow zinnia seeds outside at the arrival of early spring. Plant the Zinnia seeds about a quarter inch deep. Once the seedlings grow to a height of around three inches, put them up to six to 18 inches apart to allow maximum air circulation. This is essential to keep the plant look good throughout the season.
Zinnia elegans: Landscape
There are a variety of landscape locations where the plant can grow. You can grow Zinnia plant in containers and adorn the outdoor areas of your home like balcony or patio. The plant is also suitable for mass plantations and can be used to design walkways and recreational play areas.
Zinnia elegans care
- Soil: Zinnia plant requires loamy or soil rich in organic matter with good drainage properties.
- Water: The plant has average water requirements.
- Sunlight: Zinnia plant needs full sunlight. Keep it in direct sunlight for at least six hours a day.
- Fertilizer: The plant needs occasional fertilization with a balanced fertilizer. Avoid over-fertilizing as it can result in lush foliage with fewer flowers.
- Deadheading: Regular deadheading of the spent flowers can promote continuous blooming across the season.
Read also:Â Cosmos plant: Potted sunflowers for your home gardencosmos plant
FAQs
How long does Zinnia take to grow from seeds?
Zinnias grow from seeds in a few weeks, up to two months, based on weather conditions.
Do zinnias grow well in pots?
Zinnias grow well in containers or flowerpots under ideal conditions.
