About Zinnia elegans Jacq.
Wild uncultivated Zinnia elegans Jacq. grows to around 15 cm (5.27 in) tall. It produces solitary flower heads approximately 5 cm (2 in) across. Purple ray florets surround black and yellow central discs, and its lanceolate leaves are arranged opposite one another on the stem below the flower heads. This species flowers during the summer months. The common garden zinnia was developed through hybridisation from this wild form. Zinnias are widely popular garden plants, with hundreds of cultivars available that vary in flower colour, size and growth form. Giant cultivars can have flower heads up to 15 cm (6 in) in diameter. Flower colours span white, cream, multiple shades of pink, red, and purple, as well as green, yellow, apricot, orange, salmon, and bronze; some cultivars produce striped, speckled, or bicoloured flowers. There are also "pom-pom" shaped cultivars that resemble dahlias. Plant height ranges from dwarf varieties under 15 cm (6 in) tall to full-sized varieties that reach 90 cm (3 ft) tall. Powdery mildew, a common issue for zinnias grown in humid climates, is less common in newer, resistant developed varieties. A number of cultivars have won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Other available cultivars include 'Magellan', 'Envy Double', 'Fireworks', 'Blue Point Purple', 'Profusion Cherry', 'Profusion Orange', 'Star Gold', 'Star Orange', and multiple white-flowered types such as 'Crystal White', 'Purity', and 'Profusion White'. Mixed-colour seed selections are also available for purchase.
