2 minute read
Peter Bowden
Gardening WITH PETER BOWDEN
Envy
For the Love of Zinnias
Queen Lime Orange
Envy O ver the years, I’ve watched with amusement as different plants that have been around for many years suddenly get “discovered” and there’s a resurgence in popularity. Zinnias are enjoying just such resurgence now… and with good reason. The original zinnias are native to Mexico and Central America where they were found there by Johann Zinn in the 1700s who named them after himself. They were then bred to produce the many types found today.
There are dozens of varieties of zinnias that can grow to nearly 4’ or remain as short as 18”. Zinnias also come in just about every color in the rainbow from pure white to pink, red, orange, yellow and even green. Flowers can be as large as 3” across or as small as a quarter. They can have flowers with a single row of petals or complex with many rows of petals and ruffles. Zinnias have a reputation for being easy to grow. They can be sown directly into the garden in late May or be started inside a few weeks ahead of time for earlier flowering. They love full sun and thrive in drier conditions so choose a location that gets at least 6 hours of direct sun during the growing season. What endears zinnias to many gardeners is that they are wonderful for cutting. Once cut the flowers hold up for a long time in the vase. They re-bloom quickly so there’s an endless supply from late spring right up
Inca until frost. Make sure to get them into water as soon as they are cut. Only cut fully opened flowers since they will stop opening once cut. We aren’t the only creatures that love zinnias either. They are amazingly attractive and useful for attracting pollinators. If you grow zinnias, you can expect to enjoy lots of different butterflies visiting your yard including the showy Monarch Butterflies who seem to love zinnias more that all the other flowers. Our Ruby Throated Hummingbirds also seem to prefer them. Once the zinnias come into flower, the beds come alive with joyful pollinators. We once counted 14 Monarchs at one time flitting from flower to flower…quite a spectacle! If you are looking for an annual that provides a lot of “bang for the buck” look for zinnias. Easy, prolific flowering, great for cutting and attractive to colorful and joyous pollinators… what more could you want from an annual?
THANKS FOR THE READ! SS