About Zinnia acerosa (DC.) A.Gray
Zinnia acerosa (DC.) A.Gray is a low-growing perennial flowering plant native to the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. Its common names are desert zinnia, wild zinnia, white zinnia, and spinyleaf zinnia. It is a popular landscape plant in the American southwest because it has low water requirements and a long bloom period. Its flowers also act as a food source for butterflies native to the American southwest. In the United States, Zinnia acerosa grows in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas. In Mexico, it has been recorded in Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosí. Zinnia acerosa is a small, branching subshrub that reaches up to 16 cm (6.4 inches) in height. Its leaves are very narrow, sometimes needle-shaped, and grow up to 2 cm (0.8 inches) long. The plant produces one flower head per stem; each head holds 4 to 7 yellow or white ray florets surrounding 8 to 13 yellow or purple disc florets.
