by Larry G. Campbell, WVU Extension Agent, Harrison County

Few flowers can claim the popularity enjoyed by the zinnia over the past decades. This versatile annual comes in many sizes and colors.With a minimal amount of maintenance, zinnias will produce an abundance of blooms throughout the summer.

The zinnia was named for Dr. Johann Gottfried Zinn, who wrote the first description of the flower. Native to Mexico and Central America, the zinnia was not always appreciated. When the Spanish explorers first saw the zinnia they named it mal de ojos or “sickness of the eye!” Many improvements over the years have resulted in the beautiful zinnias of today.

Most of the zinnias available to the gardener come from three species. Zinnia elegans, the common zinnia, is grown most often by gardeners and comes in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Z. angustifolia has narrower foliage and smaller single flowers. This species makes a great container plant because of its dwarf size. A lesser known zinnia is the Z. haageana or “Mexican zinnia.” Approximately 15 inches tall, this species has small, bicolored flowers in rich golds, reds, and copper.

The versatility of the zinnia is reflected in its variety of sizes, colors, and flower types. They can be grouped by size into three classes: tall (to 36”), intermediate (to 20”), and dwarf (to 12”). There are single, semidouble, and double-flowered zinnias as well as cactus-shaped flower varieties and dahlia-flowered varieties. Zinnias come in almost every shade except true blue.

Zinnias are easy to grow from seed indoors or direct seeded outdoors. If transplants are used that have already begun to flower, pinch the plants back by one-third to ease the transition. Plants should be grown in full sun in well-drained soil. Tall varieties should be spaced 12 to 18 inches apart and dwarf varieties 6 to 8 inches. A light application of fertilizer should be applied every four to six weeks.

Once called “youth and old age” because older blooms persist as new ones open, zinnias make excellent cut flowers. Flower stems should be cut above a pair of leaves, which will stimulate new growth of flower buds for future use. For longer vase life, pick them when the flowers first open and the petals are tight.

Zinnias are practically pest-free. Powdery mildew is its primary disease problem. This can be prevented by having good air circulation, watering at the roots, and planting mildew-resistant varieties such as “Star White” and “Crystal White” and the new interspecific crosses of Z. angustifolia and Z. elegans such as “Profusion.”

Several recent introductions are recommended for home gardens. They include the Magellan coral zinnia, “Fire” and “Apricot” of the Profusion series, and “Zowie! Gold Flame.” Don’t forget to include some of the heirloom varieties in your garden. A variety such as “Gift,” an all-red flower that came to North America from Russia, will contribute both color and history to the flower bed.

—WVU-ES—