Flowers bring good luck to your home

Zinnias are characterized by their stiff, hairy stems and oval or lance-shaped leaves that grow opposite each other, often clasping the stem. The species Zinnia violacea (Z. elegans) gave rise to the numerous garden varieties grown for their showy flowers. These solitary flower heads are borne at the ends of branches, growing at the junction of a bract (a leaflike structure) and the receptacle. Zinnia flowers come in a wide range of colors, except blue. Garden zinnias come in different types, ranging from dwarf compact plants that are less than 0.3 meters (1 foot) tall, with flowers that are 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter, to giant forms that can grow up to 1 meter tall, with flowers up to 15 cm (6 inches) across. Another less well-known species of zinnia is Z. angustifolia, which grows 0.5 meters tall and has small yellow or orange blossoms.

While some zinnias may appear ungainly and coarse in habit, they have redeeming qualities such as flowering freely and long, as well as bearing up under full sun, drought, and neglect like few other garden plants.

Zinnias are annuals, meaning they will grow for one season to produce flowers and seeds, but the original plant will not return in subsequent years. They have bright, solitary, daisy-like flower heads on a single, erect stem, making them ideal for use as a cutting flower or as food for butterflies.

Types of Zinnias

The most popular zinnia species is Zinnia elegans, which has been bred to produce a great number of unique varieties. There are three main kinds of zinnia flowers: single, semidouble, or double. The difference between these forms comes from the number of rows of petals and whether or not the center of the flower is visible:

Single-flowered zinnias have a single row of petals and a visible center.

Double-flowered zinnias have numerous rows of petals and their centers are not visible.

Zinnias come in different forms, including single, double, and semidouble-flowered, with varying numbers of petals and visible centers. The flowers also come in different shapes, such as “beehive,” “button,” and “cactus.” The plants themselves have different heights, with taller varieties being suitable for the background of a garden bed and shorter ones working well along a border. There’s a zinnia for every garden!

For best results, plant zinnias in an annual or mixed border garden. Smaller zinnias are ideal for edging, window boxes, or other containers.

To ensure plentiful blooms throughout the season, choose a location that gets full sun (6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day) and offers good air circulation to prevent foliar diseases such as powdery mildew later in the season.

Zinnias can grow in most soil conditions, but they thrive in well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Ideally, soil pH should be between 5.5 and 7.5. If compost (humus) is added to the soil, the flowers will grow more quickly. For more information on soil amendments and preparing soil for planting, visit our website.

When to Plant ZinniasIt’s recommended that you grow zinnia from seed right in the garden bed, as they do not like to be transplanted. From seed, they will grow very quickly in the right conditions.Note: Zinnias can be started from seed indoors if you prefer—just transplant them while they’re young and do so carefully.Zinnias are sensitive to frost, so do not seed until the last frost has passed in your area. See your local frost dates.Zinnias will grow in a minimum daytime temperature of about 60°F (16°C), though a range of 74–84°F (23–28°C) is preferred.

Sow a round of seeds every week or so for several weeks to extend the flowering period.

How to Plant ZinniasSpace plants 4 to 24 inches apart, depending on variety. (Many common varieties are planted 6 inches apart within the row and 2 feet in between rows.) See back of seed packet for variety-specific advice.Sow zinnia seeds only about 1/4-inch deep.You’ll see zinnia seedlings in only 4 to 7 days for most varieties, though it will be anywhere from several weeks to a couple months before blooms appear (depending on planting site and climate).

When seedlings reach three inches tall, thin them so that they’re 6 to 18 inches apart to maximize air circulation. This reduces the chance of powdery mildew developing.