Zinnia 

(zin' knee-ah)

Common name: Zinnia

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Height x width: 8"-3' x 6"-12"

Growth rate: fast

Foliage: opposite, rough hairy surfaces, ovate to elliptic, 1½-4" wide and 1-2" across

Flowers: single or double, 1"-6" wide, many colors ray flowers, disk flowers usually absent

Hardiness: annual

Soil: well-drained, tolerates dry

Light:sun

Pests and problems: powdery mildew on some cultivars, botrytis blight, root and stem rots, Japanese beetle, spider mites

Landscape habit, uses: borders, massing, containers, cut flowers, butterfly gardens

Other interest: native to Mexico; named after Johann Gottfried Zinn, an 18th century botanist; one or most popular and easiest annuals to grow

Other culture: remove old flowers (deadhead) for repeat and best bloom; does best when hot and low humidity

Propagation: seed (2,000-7,000 per ounce) sown direct or 2-3 weeks before planting out

Species:

angustifolia (an-gus-ti-fol' ee-ah)(linearis)--Narrow-leaved Zinnia, 12-15" tall, linear leaves to 2½" wide and ¼" across, flowers to 1½" wide, usually at least white in series, tolerant to alternaria blight and powdery mildew

elegans (ell' e-gans)--most common species of cultivars, generally grouped into dwarf (10-15" tall), medium (15"-24" tall) and tall (24"-36" tall); also classified according to flower type such as dahlia-flowered resembling a dahlia, or cactus-flowered with narrow, twisted petals

haageana (ha-gee-aa' nah)-- 18-24" tall, multicolor flowers to 2½" wide

x hybrida (hi-bri-dah')--hybrids of angustifolia and elegans, disease resistance of first and flower size and performance of the second

linearis:angustifolia
 
 

Cultivars:
 

Cultivars	species	flowers	height, other
'Big Red'	elegans	red, 6"	tall, 36"
Border Beauty series	elegans	dahlia-type, 3½"	medium, 22"
'Burpee's Big Tetra Mix'	elegans	dahlia type, 6"	tall, 30"
'Candy Cane Mix'	elegans	white/gold, red stripes,4"	medium, 16-18"
'Chippendale'	haageana	red, gold tips, 2"	medium, 24"
'Classic Golden Orange'	angustifolia	orange, 1½"	dwarf, 10"
'Crystal White'	angustifolia	white	dwarf, 4-5", AAS
Cut and Come Again series	elegans	mix, 2½"	medium, 24"
'Dahlia-flowered Mix'	elegans	mix, 4-6"	tall, 36"
Dasher series	elegans	5 colors, 2½-3"	dwarf, 10-12"
'Double Dwarf Mix'	elegans	5 colors, double	medium, 20"
Dreamland series	elegans	6 colors, 4"	dwarf, 10-12"
'Envy Double'	elegans	chartreuse green	medium, 24"
'Giant Double Mix'	elegans	dahlia type, 4½"	medium, 24"
'Giant Flowered Mix'	elegans	dahlia type, 5"	tall, 30"
Lollipop series	elegans	double, 2½"	dwarf, 10"
'Parasol Mix'	elegans	double mix	dwarf, 10-12"
'Peppermint Stick Mix'	elegans	red striped, dahlia type	medium, 24"
'Persian Carpet Mix'	elegans	bicolors, double, 2"	dwarf, 15"
Peter Pan series	elegans	9 colors, 2½-3"	dwarf, 10-12"
Pinwheel series	x hybrida	rose, white, 3"	dwarf, 10-12"
'Pulcino Mix'	elegans	mix, double	dwarf, 12-15"
'Pumila Mix':'Cut and Come Again'
Ruffles series	elegans	4 colors, 3-3½"	tall, 24-36", AAS
'Scabious Flowered'	elegans	6 colors, crested form	tall, 24-30"
Short Stuff series	elegans	6 colors, double, 3-4"	dwarf, 8"
Small World series	elegans	pink, cherry, 2"	dwarf, 12-14", AAS
'Sombrero'	haageana	red center, yellow tip, 2"	dwarf, 15"
Splendor series	elegans	3 colors, double	medium 20-24"
Star series	angustifolia	3 colors, 2"	dwarf, 10-12"
'State Fair Mix'	elegans	mix	tall, 30-36"
'Sun Bow Mix'	elegans	mix, 1-1½"	medium, 18-20"
'T&M Cactus Flowered'	elegans	mix, 5", cactus type	tall, 24-36"
'Thumbelina'	elegans	mix, 1½-2"	dwarf, 10"
'Tropical Snow'	angustifolia	white, 2"	dwarf, 12-14"
'Whirligig Improved Mix'	elegans	bicolors, cactus type	medium, 18-24"
Zenith series	elegans	cactus-type, 6"	tall, 30"

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