Moxie Gardener

A single zinnia, possibly Z. linearis.

Zinnias are native to the American Southwest and Mexico. They are members of the Asteraceae family. Its cultivars number in the hundreds since breeding and hybridizing begin in the 19th century.

The more familiar species is Zinnia elegans, which includes most of the Zinnia cultivars including double flowered types that grow from one to three feet high. Zinnia linearis grows into a smaller, bushier plant and usually has single flowers. It is also more resistant to powdery mildew than Z. elegans. Hybrids between the two species show this resistance on plants that have traits of both parents.

Zinnias are one of the most popular seeds planted in school gardening projects. The seeds are large enough for little fingers to easily handle and they germinate and grow quickly, blooming within a couple of months of sowing.

You can get a jump on the season by starting zinnias indoors under lights about 4 to 6 weeks before the average date of your last spring frost. Harden off plants gradually and transplant into the garden after all danger of frost is past, about the time you plant your tomatoes outdoors.

Zinnias like full sun and soil that is rich in organic matter but loose and friable with good drainage. Their native home is in sandy soil and they will not grow in heavy clay soils.

The scourge of zinnias is powdery mildew. All varieties can show signs of the disease with those in the variety Zinnia linearis a little less susceptible. Space the plants the maximum distance recommended for the type you are growing. Don’t water after noon as this lessens the chance of the foliage being wet after sundown. If possible, don’t water with an overhead sprinkler.

Remember to deadhead your zinnias by removing faded flowers and they will continue to bloom until killed by frost. They are often one of the last flowers whose blooms still look good when other annuals have faded.

Zinnias make wonderful cut flowers. They last for a long time and their wide range of colors make them compatible in arrangements with most other flower varieties.

The small varieties look charming cut with short stems and placed in tiny vases or antique china teacups. Set them in unexpected places throughout the house.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:37 PM and is filed under Flowers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.