What is a Zinnia?
Zinnias are annual flowering plants that belong to the family Asteraceae. The name zinnia was coined in the eighteenth century by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in honor of his German colleague Johann Gottfried Zinn. Zinn was the first botanist to make a scientific study of these plants. Originally from Mexico, where the Aztecs cultivated them, zinnias spread around the American continent and then to the rest of the world. For 26 years, until replaced by the peony, the zinnia flower was the state flower of the US American state, Indiana. Over 100 zinnia varieties are available. Popular zinnia types include the Profusion series, Pinwheel, Thumbelina, Persian Carpet, Supreme Variety, Cut and Come Again, Blue Point, Zowie Hybrid, Bonita Red and Benary’s Giant. These plants require warm weather, plenty of sunshine and a well-drained soil to grow in. They are hardy plants and growing zinnias does not involve a great deal of maintenance. In humid climates, mildew may be a problem. This c
