Zinnia elegans Seeds | Cherry Queen
LATIN NAME: Zinnia elegans
COMMON NAME: Zinnia
Plant Profile
Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) is a distinctive species in the daisy family. Zinnia bonnets bushy, upright stems with rough, oval leaves and large, double, cherry-red flowers with soft, rolled petals, opening through summer into the autumn. Blooms keep rich, warm colour under strong sun, and they cut well for the vase. It likes sun, and light, well-drained soil. Add these qualities together and you have a species well worth a place in the garden.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the daisy family, Zinnia elegans draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. In daisy family, zinnias have a long, sunny record in bedding-plant research, and double-flowered forms appear in studies of colour breeding and heat tolerance. Raising it from seed today is a matter of ordinary good practice rather than specialist skill.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Zinnia for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. In sunny garden, zinnia bonnets border with colour all summer. Large, cherry-red blooms cut well for vase and hold rich colour under strong sun, flowers feed butterflies through late season, and plant grows fast into sturdy, floriferous form. It grows well in light, well-drained, sunny ground. Given the right start, it carries on with minimal intervention.
Zinnias are the easiest of all cutting flowers and a feast for butterflies; they are pure summer happiness without medicinal pretense.
Growing from Seed
Starting Zinnia from seed is simple and satisfying. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. Grow the youngsters on steadily in pots until well rooted, then move them to their final positions.
Our Take
Zinnia repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Zinnia often pair it with these related subjects: