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Beautiful zinnia. Zinnia: planting and care

Zinnias or, as they are also called, dahlia-flowered majors, are very bright, tall flowers that always stand out against the background of other inhabitants of the flower bed. Proper fit and minimal maintenance is all that is needed for such beauty. How to propagate zinnias and prevent the development of diseases? What place in the flower bed and in landscape garden design should the majors take? To get answers, just read the article and view the photo.

Guest from Mexico - beautiful zinnia

The flower owes its name to a pharmacologist who is fond of beautiful plants - Johann Zinna. It was he who gave it to the famous botanist Carl Linnaeus in the herbarium.

It comes from southern Mexico, where it grows as a perennial in the form of bushes. The local population decorated their gardens with this beauty as early as the 15th century, and in Europe the flower appeared by the middle of the 18th century. Zinnia won over with its beauty and became a very popular flower crop. Gardeners decorated with it the gardens of aristocrats and reception places. In the middle of the twentieth century, the flower symbolized the state of Indiana in the United States, and by the end of this period of time, he conquered the whole world.

Now there are about twenty species, many varieties and hybrids of zinnia. These plants have a huge range of colors, they differ in the size of the buds and the height of the stem. In mid-latitudes, zinnia is cultivated as an annual. At the same time, the flower grows very quickly and pleases with its colors until late autumn.

Description of zinnia dahlia

This is a large group, according to the classification belonging to the species of elegant zinnia. Due to the external similarity with the dahlia, it bears the corresponding name. The characteristics of a flower are completely dependent on belonging to a particular group.

zinnia bloom

Powerful plant bushes can be from 60 to 120 cm in height, sprawling or quite compact.
Peduncles are long. Thanks to them, zinnia is good for cutting. In a vase, flowers do not lose their attractiveness for a long time.

The oval leaves are arranged in a pair, opposite to each other. Inflorescences-baskets in this group up to 15 cm in diameter. Coloring is bright and varied. Reed flowers have an elongated-lobed shape and overlap each other, as a result of which the opened bud is, as it were, lined with tiles. Zinnia grows very quickly - only 2-2.5 months pass from sowing seeds to flowering. The seeds are large, strongly flattened laterally and elongated. You can grow dahlia-flowered zinnia through seedlings, or you can immediately sow in the ground. It is best propagated by seeds.

Growing zinnia

Growing a flower through seedlings

  • In prepared containers, which must be at least 10 cm deep, nutrient soil is poured, consisting of soddy soil, sand and humus (2: 1: 1).
  • One seed is sown in each pot. Shoots appear after 3-4 days.

Advice. Majors should not be sown for seedlings before mid-April. With early sowing, plants take root worse in a flower bed.

  • Watering seedlings should be moderate, to prevent stagnant water.
  • At the end of May, seedlings need to be hardened, that is, they are periodically exposed to fresh air.
  • A pinch is made over the fifth pair of leaves so that the plant begins to bush.
  • Grown zinnias can be planted in a flower bed in mid-June.

Advice. When planting in the ground, it is advisable to pinch the spine. So it can branch better and, accordingly, the plant will receive more nutrients.

Growing zinnia from seeds in a flower bed

Zinnias planted in this way begin to bloom a little later, but in this case there is much less trouble with them. Everything is very simple: approximately in the middle of May, a groove is made in a flower bed, no more than 1 cm deep, into which seeds are sown. The interval between them should be 15-20 cm.

Mono planting zinnia

zinnia care

Majors are heat-loving plants that love bright sunlight, so you need to choose the appropriate place for planting them. Zinnias are not demanding on the soil, but they feel better on fertile loams. The plant is drought-resistant, but during periods of prolonged lack of rain require watering. In its absence, the inflorescences become smaller and lose their brightness. Top dressing is not required, but desirable. For this, zinnias are thanked for their abundant flowering.

Advice. It is best to feed majors with fertilizers with a minimum nitrogen content.

Place zinnia dahlia in the garden

The location in the flowerbed and in the general garden ensemble completely depends on how advantageous the flower will look.

Zinnia is a bright and tall flower, therefore, it is planted in the middle of a double-sided or round flower bed. In free flower beds and mixborders, majors should be planted in the background with the expectation that lower crops will grow in front of them.

Zinnia dahlia-flowered planted in arrays looks great. It can also fill the free spaces between perennials. Low-growing varieties and hybrids are good in containers and borders.

Known diseases and pests of dahlia zinnia and their control measures

Majors are quite resistant to diseases, but under adverse conditions, for example, during prolonged rains, they are easily affected by some diseases.

  • Alternariosis. Leaves, stems and petals of zinnia are affected. First, light brown spots appear, which gradually merge with each other. Then, the affected parts of the plant die off. If signs are found, diseased flowers are destroyed. As a preventive measure, you can spray with antifungal drugs (fungicides).

Carry out preventive treatment of zinnia from diseases

  • Virus infections. Most often they appear in the form of a mosaic on the leaves, variegation and various necrosis. Diseased plants should be destroyed. Since viruses are carried by aphids and thrips, measures to combat these insects are preventive measures.
  • Powdery mildew. A plaque forms on the stem and leaves, which looks like flour sprinkled. The tissue underneath is dyed brown. Affected zinnias are treated with fungicides.
  • White rot. The affected plant wilts, with brown spots located along the trunk. When the stem is broken, white mycelium and black vegetative bodies can be seen. Sick plants are best removed. In case of mass damage, the area is treated with antifungal drugs.
  • Root rot. Most often this disease affects majors growing in containers. The leaves turn yellow, their rim turns brown. Affected roots are brown. Prevention - properly prepared soil mixture for the container.
  • Aphids and caterpillars are common garden pests. Caterpillars are easy to spot by gnaws on leaves and flowers. Aphids mainly settle on unopened buds. Pests are collected by hand, and when they are massively distributed, the flower bed is treated with insecticides.

Zinnia dahlia flower is a very unpretentious flower. And if she is given at least a modicum of attention, she will be able to please the owner of the site for a long time with her bright terry inflorescences.


Zinnias can rightly be considered an old-timer plant, because they could be found in flower beds and flowerbeds long before our birth. Thanks to the painstaking work of breeders, species and varieties of zinnia appeared in huge numbers. They differ markedly from each other. High and low, large and small, plain and colorful - all deserve attention. Looking to add some vibrant color to your yard? Then let's get acquainted with the most popular and beautiful varieties of this amazing flower.

Depending on the shape of the plant and the structure of the inflorescences, 4 groups are distinguished:

  • graceful zinnia (varieties with strong erect stems and inflorescences of different sizes, colors and structures);
  • narrow-leaved zinnia (plants with a narrower and lighter leaf plate);
  • thin-flowered zinnia (medium-sized bushes with small flowers from petals twisted at the tip);
  • zinnia linearis (dwarf zinnias with small, daisy-like inflorescences).

Linearis and thin-flowered zinnia somehow did not really take root in gardeners' flower beds. Most likely, the inconspicuous size of their baskets played a role. But the elegant and narrow-leaved varieties are firmly included in the list of popular plants. Why did they like it so much, and which ones are planted most often? We bring to your attention a species selection of zinnia varieties with a photo and a brief description.


Slender aristocrat - elegant zinnia

Graceful zinnia is distinguished by erect stems that are not afraid of the wind. The bush branches only in dwarf varieties. Powerful peduncles at the top thicken and end with beautiful basket inflorescences. Depending on the variety, their diameter can be small, about 3 cm, or rather wide, up to 14 cm. The height of the stems themselves also ranges from 30 cm to almost 1 m. They are covered with a hard fluff along their entire length, the same is on the leaves . The ovate-pointed leaf plates grow opposite, painted in dark green.

So that tall plants do not shade each other, there should be a distance of at least 20 cm between the bushes. By the way, this is a cross-pollinated culture.

Zinnia elegant, as this variety is also called due to its Latin name, is characterized by long flowering. It begins in mid-June, and the last inflorescences bloom when frost hits. The flowers are very beautiful, reed petals can be either elongated or folded into a tube. The middle is decorated with a cluster of small, yellow, tubular petals.

Seeds of elegant zinnia have good germination. Even 4 years after harvest, they almost all germinate.

In turn, the varieties of elegant zinnia are grouped depending on the shape and structure of the inflorescences, as well as the height of the plants:


  • dahlia;
  • zinnia fantasy;
  • pompom;
  • chrysanthemum color;
  • gayardiotsvetnaya;
  • scabiozotsvetnaya.

Such varieties of elegant zinnia look gorgeous.

Zinnia Courage

Differs in abundant flowering and low growth. The height of the bushes is a maximum of 35 cm. The inflorescences themselves are also small, on average about 8 cm, but in large numbers are located among the green leaves. Baskets of flowers are terry, in the form of a hemisphere, white, pink, orange or red.

Zinnia Mishutka

Tall plants (up to 90 cm) with large lush inflorescences. Their diameter can reach 16 cm, while the elongated petals with a rounded edge are tightly located to each other. The flowers are hemisphere-shaped and can be painted in different colors. One of the most saturated is zinnia Mishutka purple. The red color common among these plants is deeper, with a barely noticeable light spot in the center of the flower. But the diameter of the basket itself is a couple of centimeters smaller.

Zinnia Apriori

Tall, up to 90 cm, sprawling bush with strong stems and large baskets. The diameter of the inflorescences is 15 cm, painted in a rich salmon-pink color.

Zinnia Carnival

Tall, up to 70 cm, bush, stems are powerful, straight, strongly leafy. The leaves are dark green, oval, with a sharp tip. Differs in variegated inflorescences with a diameter of about 10 cm. This is a very effective terry zinnia. It can be white, pink or yellow, with darker spots on the main background.

Zinnia Carousel

The variety is distinguished by an elegant two-tone coloring of inflorescences with a dark center and light edges. They are small, up to 10 cm in diameter, with wide double petals. Zinnia Carousel - medium-sized, no more than 50 cm high. The stems firmly hold a vertical position. Surprisingly, she is able to cross independently with other varieties. The result is original baskets.

Zinnia graceful Italy

Immediately noticeable in the flower bed due to high, up to 90 cm, stems. It blooms in dense terry baskets in the form of a hemisphere. The flower mixture of red, white and green colors is in great demand.

Zinnia Russian size

The tallest variety with stems up to 180 cm, however, only in greenhouse conditions. In the flower bed, the bushes are slightly lower, but retain the size of dense terry baskets of different colors (from 12 to 15 cm in diameter).

Zinnia graceful dahlia

Plants of this group are distinguished by large, from 10 to 15 cm in diameter, flowers. They are very similar to flowers, with hemispherical baskets, in which the outer petals are double, and in the reed ones, the tips are bent.

Such varieties of dahlia-colored zinnia are very beautiful.:

  • Envy;
  • California Giants;
  • Moon rock;
  • Goddess;
  • Lavender;
  • Purple queen;
  • Midget;
  • Giant;
  • Cherry queen;
  • Monarch;
  • Tangerine mousse;
  • Polar bear.

Zinnia Envy

This is one of the most unusual varieties, which is often called simply green zinnia for its original color. Another name is zinnia Envi (from English - "envy"). Its inflorescences look like large lush green pompoms. The diameter of each flower is at least 15 cm, rounded wide petals, the closer to the center, the more wrapped in the middle. They bloom in early summer and bloom until mid-autumn.

Sufficiently high peduncles, up to 70 cm, allow you to use green zinnia for cutting and create original bouquets.

One of the tall large-flowered varieties with large double inflorescences with an average diameter of 15 cm. It is distinguished by rapid growth and abundant long flowering. The color is varied, from white to dark red and purple.

A tall and large-flowered variety, the height of the bush reaches 90 cm, and the diameter of the flowers is 15 cm. The inflorescences are lilac-pink, terry.

It grows as a tall bush, stretching up to 90 cm. Peduncles are strong, topped with large inflorescences, similar to dahlias. The flowers of the zinnia Goddess are also divinely beautiful: lush, monochromatic carmine-red color, up to 14 cm in diameter. It blooms until frost.

The variety loves moisture, with its lack of inflorescences retain their beauty, but become smaller.

Powerful variety with high, up to 90 cm, stems. The inflorescences are large (15 cm), terry, with beautifully laid petals of lilac-lavender color.

A tall bush, up to 80 cm, forms powerful strong flower stalks that branch directly from the base. A characteristic feature of the variety are large inflorescences with a diameter of at least 10 cm. The photo of the Violet Queen zinnia shows that they are painted lilac-violet. For zinnias, such coloring is very rare and generally not inherent.

Lush bushes do not grow above 50 cm. The flowering is plentiful, the baskets are terry, small (no more than 5 cm in diameter), of different colors.

The variety is a large-flowered zinnia with large, up to 15 cm in diameter, inflorescences in the form of dahlia flowers. The stems of the plant are also powerful, up to 90 cm in height. The color of the Giants can be different: white, yellow, salmon, raspberry, red.

Tall bush, blooms closer to July. Until the first frosts, large baskets of red-lilac or purple color flaunt on slender powerful stems. The diameter of the inflorescences is 13 cm, the reed petals are slightly raised, arranged in the form of a tiled masonry.

With prolonged drought, the variety requires watering to maintain the size of the inflorescences.

A tall variety used for cutting. The height of the bushes is 90 cm, the stems are straight, ending in a large carmine-red inflorescence. The photo of Monarch zinnia shows that its inflorescences really resemble lush dahlias. Blooms from summer to frost.

The variety is known for long flowering - each basket lasts almost a month.

A tall bush up to 90 cm tall is distinguished not only by its size, but also by large inflorescences. They are painted in a rich orange color and really resemble a round tangerine. The diameter of each basket reaches 14 cm.

High grade, the average height of plants is 65 cm, but can grow up to 90 cm. Powerful stems branch, forming several inflorescences on each. At the same time, they firmly “stand” vertically and do not need support. A photo of zinnia Polar bear only confirms the accuracy of the name. Its large terry baskets are painted in the snow-white color of the polar snow. The wide petals curve slightly inward.

In a shady spot, the white flowers appear greenish in the center.

Zinnia graceful Fantasy

This subgroup is also known as Fantasy zinnia. It combines varieties that are characterized by rather large lush inflorescences. Their average diameter is 10 cm, while terry baskets are loose and “shaggy”, as if curly. Reed petals are narrow and bizarrely curved, and in some species even bifurcate, like a snake's tongue. The bushes themselves have the shape of a ball and do not grow more than 65 cm, but the green leaves are large for such plant sizes.
But the “fantasy” zinnia Short Staff is generally one of the most compact species with a bush height of no more than 25 cm. It blooms in terry baskets with a diameter of about 10 cm. Their color can be very diverse, from white to dark red.

Zinnia graceful pompom

This bushy variety of flower looks beautiful in flower beds due to its magnificent forms. Although the inflorescences will not please with their size (their diameter is not more than 4 cm), they attract attention with a rounded shape. The bush seems to be decorated with colored pompoms, for example, like Thumbelina's zinnia. This compact shrub with lush branching stems up to 20 cm high will delight in flowering from mid-summer to early autumn. The inflorescences are also small, a maximum of 6 cm in diameter, stuffed. They can be white, pink, red, yellow or orange.

The variety is characterized by high resistance of flowers to weather conditions. Baskets keep their shape and do not fade.

Oklahoma pompom zinnia is no less beautiful. This tall variety with powerful stems and large foliage grows up to 85 cm in a sunny place. At the same time, the inflorescences themselves are small, maximum 7.5 cm in diameter, but lush. The densely spaced petals form round pompom balls of different colors. They can be white, yellow or red, or a variety of shades of these colors.

The variety has increased resistance to most diseases. Also ideal for cutting.

Zinnia graceful chrysanthemum color

The varieties of this group are characterized by monochromatic large inflorescences. At the same time, their reed petals are twisted in a tube or in the form of a spiral, which makes them look like chrysanthemum flowers. Plants are mostly medium-sized, averaging about 60 cm in height. One of the brightest representatives of chrysanthemum-shaped zinnias is the variety mixture Burpana. Chic terry inflorescences have a diameter of at least 10 cm and a different color, from white-yellow to rich red.

Zinnia graceful scabiose flower

For the peculiar shape of the inflorescences, these zinnias are also called anemone-shaped. They are characterized by small terry baskets with a strongly overgrown and protruding center of reed petals. Around it, in one row, wide petals grow. Prominent representatives of the species are:

"Comfortable" and pretty angustifolia zinnia

In contrast to the graceful, narrow-leaved zinnia grows in the form of an abundantly branching small bush. The average plant height is 30 cm, and the maximum height is not more than 40 cm. Numerous shoots are covered with dense foliage growing in pairs. The leaves are elongated, only 2 cm wide with a length of 6 cm, the tips are slightly pointed. The dense leafy cap is not dark, like that of an elegant zinnia, but is painted in a calmer and lighter green.

The narrow-leaved zinnia is often referred to as Mexican zinnia due to the fact that this plant is widely distributed and actively grown in Mexico.

Zinnia blooms in mid-July, but with the first frosts, the annual dies. Species and varieties of narrow-leaved zinnia do not differ in a special color scheme, they are mainly different shades of red, yellow and orange, as well as white. Inflorescences are small, up to 4 cm in diameter, but in large numbers. In the center is a convex center of small tubular flowers, taken in a dense ring of reed petals. Fading, they tie not too attractive oval-shaped seeds, so the bushes are usually cut back in the fall, when they freeze. Leaving them until spring makes no sense.

The narrow-leaved zinnia is characterized by high drought tolerance and can grow without watering (with periodic natural precipitation). You need to plant it in a warm and well-lit place.

The varietal variety of narrow-leaved zinnia is not as numerous as that of elegant, but still there is plenty to choose from. Basically, these are undersized varieties of zinnia. The main difference between them is in color and degree of tillering. Also, the goal of breeders is to breed beautiful terry species and maximize their flowering.

Zinnia Sombrero

A densely leafy compact bush will delight with bright inflorescences. They can be plain, but the most popular variety is with a brick color and a yellow border around the circumference of the petals.

Persian rug

From the description and photo of zinnia Persian carpet, it can be seen that this is a compact but spectacular variety. The height of the plant is only 30 cm, but at the same time the whole bush is sprinkled with small, not more than 5 cm, terry baskets. Inflorescences are variegated, yellow-brown.

Hybrid Profusion

A few words should be said separately about Profusion zinnia. This is an "intermediate" between the two groups, a hybrid variety, whose parents are narrow-leaved and graceful zinnia. The bushes are low (up to 45 cm), but lush, more than 50 cm wide. The color can be different, from light to dark red.

It is possible to list the types and varieties of zinnia for a very long time, because these are far from all representatives. Among such a variety, everyone can choose a flower to their liking. Some people prefer the large hats of the California giants, while others prefer the gentle, modest Thumbelina pom-poms, and Burpan's zinnias are not inferior in their beauty to autumn chrysanthemums. In general, there is plenty to choose from, so plant and admire!

Acquaintance with the types and varieties of zinnia - video


At first, my garden did not bear enough fruits and berries. When I began to wonder how to contribute to the harvest, I found an unexpected answer. More precisely, I was advised to start breeding honey plants, which will attract bees to the site.

Then my acquaintance with zinnia happened. The unpretentious flower won my favor - since then I have been planting it for many years in the front garden and along the paths.

The modest beautiful flower has many advantages, I am ready to introduce you to several undeniable advantages of this plant.

The genus Zinnia belongs to the Asteraceae family. Two dozen species, many varieties and hybrids are included in this group of plants. This flower culture owes its origin to Central America, it has been known since the time of the indigenous Indian peoples living here. In the equatorial and tropical zones, it is cultivated as a perennial flower.

Zinnia flowers are bushes of different heights - these are both 20-centimeter and meter plants. They are united by an erect stem, it branches (sometimes strongly). The leaves do not have a petiole, are attached directly to the stem, their shape is oblong, pointed at the end. A feature of the plant is a rather rigid pubescence of the stem and leaves.

The inflorescence in tall varieties is located on a long peduncle. In low varieties, flowers cover the entire bush, with a hat (depending on terry) located on the green mass. The petals on the inflorescence are arranged in layers or in one row, in the middle they are tubular.

Their colors are varied: pastel muted tones, bright colors of various shades. The basket has a diameter of 30 mm and reaches 15 centimeters in coverage.

Zinnia blooms from June until the very cold, which it does not tolerate at all, and will die at the first frost. It has a faint spicy aroma, repels pests and attracts butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects to the garden.

Interesting! Zinnia plantings will create a favorable environment for pollination of various garden plants, they are honey-bearing, bees flock to them. Isn't that a virtue?

Varieties and varieties

The flower is good in group plantings, to create a background and borders. Therefore, you need to get acquainted with the species and varieties, find out your preferences and start planting.

Zinnia is now planted all over the world, 20-22 species are distributed to varying degrees. The most famous are graceful, thin-leaved, narrow-leaved and zinnia-linearis. We grow in our gardens often only varietal varieties of elegant and narrow-leaved zinnias.

graceful zinnia

This group of zinnias is represented very widely; many varieties and hybrids have been bred on its basis. Like all typical plants of the genus, the leaves and stem are pubescent, the coverage of the flower varies from 3 to 16 centimeters. The height of the bush is also different - from 0.3 m to 0.9 meters.

The "graceful" species differ in the height of the bush, the shape of the inflorescence and petals, and the color. Depending on these indicators, there are: pompon, chrysanthemum-shaped and dahlia-colored, as well as a group of varieties Fantasia and some others.

Pompoms

These are plants up to half a meter high, the bushes are more compact than other species. Pompom zinnias branch well, have many shoots. Leaves sessile, small.

Inflorescence in the form of a pompom - a kind of fluffy hat. Flower coverage up to 5 centimeters, terry baskets have a dense structure. Petals are arranged like tiles, in layers.

This type of zinnia blooms very profusely, flower caps cover the entire bush, at the same time there are a large number of terry baskets on the plant.

Tom Thumb

Tom-Tamb is a well-known variety of different shades of red. Terry inflorescences have a coverage of up to 6 centimeters, they are rounded flattened. The height of the bush is from 30 to 45 cm.

Little Red Riding Hood

The Rotkappchen variety is very popular with flower growers, it is medium tall (up to 55 cm). Bright red caps of flowers strew the surface of the bush. The shape of the flower is from cone-shaped to the outline of a densely doubled pompom, its coverage is 3-5 cm.

Advantage! During their long flowering, zinnia baskets do not lose color intensity, do not fade in the sun.

Dahlia group of zinnias

This variety is characterized by such outlines: high growth (up to 1 meter), a powerful bush, a small number of primary shoots.

The leaves and inflorescences are much larger than those of the pompon zinnia. The edges of the petals are slightly raised, the peduncles are long and stand straight. For this feature, this species was nicknamed "major".

Dahlia zinnias are very often planted by me, and by all gardeners. There are many color options: purple, white, orange, red, and cream. Do not list all.

orange king

An upright, medium-sized bush (up to 70 cm) has a double flower on a long peduncle, dense or loose structure. Nice red-orange color.

Violet

The Violett variety is loved by summer residents and designers for its rich purple color. Bush 75 cm tall has terry inflorescences with a diameter of up to 20 centimeters.

polar bear

The white variety Polar Bear is very decorative, its color casts a little greenish color. The bush is dense, not sprawling, the coverage of the flower is 14-20 cm.

cherry queen

The height of the plant of this chic variety reaches 0.7 meters. The color of the petals is dark crimson, cherry. The diameter of the inflorescence is 10-16 centimeters.

Envy (Envy)

My favorite variety with green flowers. Looks great with brightly colored flowers of other plants. Gaining popularity due to its unusual color.

angustifolia

The name speaks for itself - the leaves are elongated, lanceolate. Like other types of zinnia, the leaf sits tightly on the stem, without a petiole.

The inflorescences of narrow-leaved zinnia are undersized (up to 40 cm), the flowers are double and simple, their color in most cases is orange-reddish, but there are also white and other colors. The diameter of the basket is 4-6 centimeters.

The most widely used variety is the Sunny Circle. It is undersized, red-brown-orange flowers are small in diameter - up to 3.5 cm.

We love zinnia for the variety of hybrid varieties. Here are some photos of zinnia flowers with an unusual shape and color.

Zinnia in the landscape

An unpretentious, modest flower is grown both in private courtyards and for landscaping city areas, near office buildings and in parks. This flower is valued for long, unfading flowering, brightness of colors.

Low-growing species are planted along the paths (very beautiful in planting in a row) and in the near-trunk part of the trees, near the ponds. Zinnias are good in any group planting, combined with all types of plants.

Advice! Zinnia does not fall apart from the wind, it is for this plant that I love it so much.

The flower beds on which these flowers grow are not threatened by a period of lack of flowering. Inflorescences appear continuously, attract bees, birds, butterflies. A rustic-style garden that is now fashionable means a combination of primordially rural flowers on the site: chamomile and calendula, marigolds and saffron, and where without zinnia.

Low and medium plants grow well in containers and flowerpots. They can be rearranged from place to place in the garden, or brought to the veranda, decorate gazebos, terraces with them.

There is no limit to the imagination, these admirable flowers can be placed everywhere.

How to plant and care

Zinnia tolerates periods of rain and drought well. Prolonged lack of watering, of course, is undesirable. Prefers open, sunny places, partial shade, diffused light.

The soil for the plant needs loose, drained, like zinnias and fertile, fertilized land. Therefore, for digging, I bring in compost or humus.

In care, the flower is unpretentious, weeding, timely watering is required. I have fertile soil on the site, so I do not use fertilizers. If desired (if the soil is poor), you can make special top dressing for flowering plants. Suitable potash-phosphorus granular or liquid fertilizers.

Growing through seedlings

I plant zinnia seeds for seedlings at home in April. In March, it is too early, as the seedlings will stretch.

  • I fill the containers with the substrate for sowing;
  • Can be planted in individual cups if space permits;
  • I deepen the seeds by 1 cm, sprinkle with earth and moisten, it is not necessary to cover with a film;
  • Shoots hatch after 2-5 days, germination is usually 90-100%;
  • In phase 2, the leaves can be transplanted (dive) into separate containers or simply at a distance of 5-7 centimeters.

When the frosts on the street pass, and you prepare the beds for zinnia seedlings, transplant them into open ground. Planting is carried out according to the scheme: undersized plants after 15-25 centimeters, and high ones - after 25-35 cm.

Sowing in open ground

I grow zinnia perfectly and by direct sowing of seeds in the ground in spring. In May I dig up a bed, I bring in a little wood ash. It can be sown in specially made grooves or holes to a depth of 1-1.5 centimeters. Here's what the seeds look like (pictured).

I leave the distance between the seedlings 10 cm or less (if I plan to plant later). Sometimes I sow immediately through the gap that is necessary for a particular variety. Usually it is 20-25 centimeters.

Advice! Both by seedling and direct sowing, zinnia sprouts well and quickly strengthens. There is no way to buy or plant seedlings - sow in open ground in spring or early summer.

Compositae family.

Description: Zinnia is an unusually colorful plant, characterized by a wide range of bright, juicy colors that adorn the garden in summer and especially in autumn, combined with a riot of colors of the surrounding nature. Interestingly, in America, zinnia is as loved and revered as our aster. This is a tribute not only to tradition, but also to the extraordinary beauty of this flower. In our culture, the most common zinnia graceful.

Elegant zinnia is an annual, vigorous, powerful plant of spreading or compact form, with an upright strong stem covered with hard pubescence, from 30 to 100 cm high, with a few strong side branches. The leaves are ovate-pointed, sessile, opposite, covered with coarse hairs like a stem. The inflorescence is a basket with a diameter of 5 to 15 cm, depending on the variety.

Zinnia inflorescences have a different shape, they can be simple, semi-double and terry. Reed flowers of various shapes and colors are arranged in 1-3 rows in non-double varieties and more rows in double ones. The color of the flowers is white, yellow, pink, orange, red and lilac. In the color range of zinnias, only blue and blue colors are missing. Tubular flowers are yellow, rarely colored as ligulate, form a lush convex center.

Zinnia is distinguished by its purity of colors and their huge color variety. Zinnia flowers come in vibrant whites, yellows, oranges, reds and burgundies and pastel pinks, salmon, lilacs and corals.

Less commonly, another type of zinnia is grown - narrow-leaved zinnia or Hage, with smaller flowers, often yellow in color and non-double. Forms bushes 40-45 cm high, blooms in mid-summer.

Zinnia is distinguished by a large number of cultural forms and varieties. They are grouped into groups, called cultivars, according to the shape of the inflorescence, plant height and flowering time.

The variety of colors and shapes of the zinnia inflorescence, as well as the height and shape of the bush, gives the plant great opportunities in design. From bright zinnias, magnificent groups and ridges are obtained, low varieties will decorate a balcony, flower bed and alpine hill. Both varieties with large and small inflorescences are suitable for bouquets; in water, plants retain a beautiful appearance for up to 2 weeks.

Varieties of zinnia:
Dahlia flowers - inflorescences are terry, loose, 10-15 cm in diameter, reed flowers are spoon-shaped, their ends are bent down, tiled. Plants are powerful, up to 90 cm high. They bloom from July to autumn. California giant - plants and inflorescences are the same, but reed, flowers are flat, tiled and dense. Chrysanthemum-shaped - reed flowers are folded into tubes, arranged tiled and dense.

Cactus flowers - reed flowers are folded into tubes, bent in different directions. Known form Fantasy. There are also groups of Pumil, Lilliput and others.

Growing and care:
Zinnia is a light and heat-loving plant that does not tolerate even light frosts. Requires rich in humus, mineral elements and nutrients, well-cultivated and drained soil with a neutral acid reaction for abundant long-term flowering. Grows well in sunny, sheltered places. It does not tolerate excess moisture in the soil and prolonged drought, in which the inflorescences become smaller and the flowers dry up from the edges. It responds well to the application of organic and mineral fertilizers during planting and in top dressing, which is carried out 2-3 times per season. To continue flowering and preserve the decorativeness of the plant, it is necessary to remove faded inflorescences.

Zinnia is propagated by seeds, which are sown in late March - early April in boxes. Large seeds germinate in 4-6 days. With a rare sowing of large seeds, you can do without a pick. Landing on a permanent place is carried out in late May - early June, when the danger of the last spring frosts has passed, since zinnias do not tolerate a drop in temperature at all. The distance between plants during planting is 25-40 cm. The grown seedlings can be pinched to speed up the tillering of plants. You can also sow the seeds directly outdoors at the end of May, after the last frost in May, then flowering will begin later. Zinnia seeds are harvested when the inflorescences turn brown.

Diseases and pests of zinnia:
Zinnia is affected by root and stem rot, Fusarium wilt, dry rot of stems, leaves and tips, gray mold, powdery mildew, bacterial spot, viral diseases and nematodes. Damaged by several species of aphids, common earwig, meadow bug, spider mite, leafminer, cutworms and slugs.

Do you want your flower garden to please the eye not only during the summer, but also until the frost? So, zinnia must definitely settle in your flower beds! A bright and colorful beauty will delight with a variety of colors, literally transform the site. You yourself can imagine this by getting acquainted with zinnia varieties with photos and names.

The name of the German physician and botanist Johann Zinn, who in the distant 18th century was the first to bring from Central America the seeds of a flower unfamiliar to Europeans, was forever fixed in the name of the flower. From that moment on, he was firmly rooted in European flower beds.

A flower belonging to the Astrov family has a straight, somewhat branched stem, on which oval-shaped leaves are planted without petioles. All of them have a slightly pointed top. Both the leaf and the stem of the plant are not smooth, on the contrary, their surface is covered with small but rather stiff hairs.
Inflorescences - simple or double petals, collected in a basket. The size of the inflorescences is different: the smallest ones have a diameter of about 5 cm, the largest ones reach up to 15 cm.

The plant loves warmth, open sunny places, is not demanding for special care and is not capricious. It is characterized by the ability to grow quickly and bloom for a long time. Flowers outwardly resemble dahlias, marigolds and chrysanthemums.

Varieties of zinnia

Of the 22 species of this annual known in nature, only four are used in ornamental gardening: graceful, narrow-leaved, thin-flowered, linearis. Having examined the varieties of zinnia with photos and names, you can independently choose the most suitable for decorating your flower beds.

  1. thin-flowered zinnia

these are low (up to 60 cm) bushes, consisting of brittle stems, which are decorated with small inflorescences (up to 3 cm).

  1. Linearis

the shortest zinnia flowers (25-35 cm). On miniature bushes, the same miniature inflorescences bloom, having a characteristic orange border on the petals.

But the most suitable for the climate of our country have become elegant and narrow-leaved, these zinnia varieties of description will be presented in more detail.

  1. Graceful

varieties delight with their rapid growth, large (up to 15 cm) sizes of inflorescences.

The most popular varieties of Zinnia graceful steel:

  • Dahlia group, which includes varieties with well-branched bushes of different heights, long (up to 12 cm) leaves and large hemisphere-shaped inflorescences.
  • The pompom group has another name - midget. Low (up to 55 cm), rather compact, but at the same time producing many shoots, bushes of varieties of this variety usually bloom simultaneously with small (up to 4 cm) inflorescences and are distinguished by small leaves.
  • The group of zinnias “Fantasy” or “Fantasy” is represented by medium-sized (up to 65 cm) varieties with large leaves and rather large (up to 10 cm), loose inflorescences.
  1. angustifolia

varieties are characterized not only by oblong and somewhat elongated leaves with pointed tips. They have medium-sized inflorescences, the diameter of which is only 4-6 cm.

Zinnia varieties

Two popular varieties, elegant zinnia and narrow-leaved zinnia, have many varieties and are able to fulfill the most demanding landscape designer's request.

Let's get acquainted in more detail with the flower and its varieties.

undersized zinnia

Zinnia undersized varieties belong to both the graceful and narrow-leaved varieties. Flower growers fell in love with such varieties of miniature zinnia:

“Little Red Riding Hood” (Rotcopchen) is an elegant pom-pom zinnia. The flower got its name due to its bright red color, the saturation of which cannot be changed even by the summer sun. Low half-meter bushes (45-55 cm) take the form of a ball, decorated with dense densely double inflorescences, in some cases rounded, in others resembling a truncated cone).

"Persian Carpet" (Persian Carpet, Persian Carpet) - narrow-leaved zinnia, one of the most decorative varieties. The bushes are low, from 40 to 50 cm, when mass planted, they give the impression of a bright carpet, in which yellow, red, brown shades predominate. Inflorescences up to 6 cm in size are two-color, reed flowers are distinguished by the presence of characteristic contrasting spots. The advantages of the variety include the ability to tolerate drought and frost resistance.

"Tom-Tamb" (Tom-Thumb) - another representative of the elegant zinnia. Miniature bushes (35-45 cm) resembles "Little Red Riding Hood" with its also bright red inflorescences that do not fade in the sun. However, compared to the globose or rounded buds of Rotcopchen, Tom-Thumb buds appear flatter.

“Short staff” is one of the lowest even among undersized varieties, the height of which is up to 25 cm is covered with rather large (up to 10 cm) multi-colored inflorescences (cherry and coral colors, red and white).

bouquet zinnia

For flower growers, zinnia is a unique plant. It can be grown both in a flower bed and in a pot. The flower also performs well when cut, and can please its appearance for up to 14 days. A bouquet of zinnias is especially valuable because the flower is odorless and will not cause discomfort to people in whom the floral smell causes a headache.

In order to grow zinnia, the bouquet of which is pleasant to give, it is recommended to use a mixture of cut zinnia varieties.

California Giants (Californische Riesen) is a blend ideal for cutting. Tall bushes (from 90 to 100 cm) are impressive with large (14-15 cm) inflorescences that have a very different color. Among the Giants - flowers are white, yellow, creamy and lilac, red and different shades of this color - orange and purple, pink and salmon. Flowers can keep a spectacular appearance in a vase for up to 10-12 days.

Cactus-shaped zinnia - due to its high growth up to 90 cm, it is excellent for cutting. Straight stems, large flowers, unusually shaped petals. Continuous flowering - from June to September, stands for a long time cut in the water.

An attractive flower in the design of the site for many specialists occupies one of the main places.

Professionals suggest following some recommendations that will allow zinnias to look most impressive on your site.

  • It is preferable to use a plant for group plantings, although zinnia looks beautiful when planted alone.
  • Tall varieties are most suitable for a mixborder; for borders, use undersized zinnia.
  • If you like a design that embodies a rustic style, use zinnia in combination with such flowers: aster, marigold, marigold, bluebell, chamomile, chrysanthemum.
  • Use zinnia for single plantings in the garden, in the garden with vegetables, table greens. A bright spot will be expressive against a green background, and in addition, it will become an additional source of attracting insects for pollination.
  • Linear plantings of zinnia look good, which are a kind of separators for vegetable beds or planted along garden buildings, garden paths.

Zinnia angustifolia

Zinnia stunted

Zinnia Fantasy

Zinnia pompon

Experienced flower growers know: zinnia responds to care and care with beauty until the very frost.