Growing Guide
 
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Zinnia (medium height cultivars)

Annual Flower

Also known as Common Zinnia
Zinnia elegans medium height
Asteraceae Family

This easy-to-grow garden classic delivers blooms in nearly every color of the rainbow. Plant where air circulation is good to avoid late-season disease problems.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun

Soil conditions:

  • requires well-drained soil
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 1.5 to 2.5 feet

Spread: 1 to 2 feet

Bloom time:

  • mid-summer
  • late summer
  • early fall
  • mid-fall

Flower color:

  • red
  • orange
  • yellow
  • violet
  • white
  • pink

Foliage color:

  • medium green
  • dark green

Foliage texture: medium

Shape: upright

Shape in flower: same as above

Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • deer resistant
  • non-aggressive
  • non-invasive
  • not native to North America - Native to Mexico.
Attracts:
  • butterflies
  • hummingbirds
Special uses:
  • cut flowers
  • direct-seeding
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed - Start seeds outdoors where desired in spring after frost danger has passed, or indoors 4 weeks before the last spring frost.

Germination temperature: 70 F to 75 F

Days to emergence: 7

Maintenance and care:
Deadhead to prolong blooming. Pinch back regularly to keep bushy. Late in the season, the plants are often badly covered with unsightly mildew, and should be removed.

More growing information: How to Grow Annuals

Pests:
Japanese beetles
Spider mites
Parasitic nematodes
Diseases:
Plant in areas with good air circulation to reduce foliar diseases.

Oedema
Powdery mildew
Alternaria leaf spot
Viral diseases

Varieties
‘Envy Double’: yellow-green flowers are dense and double. Plants are 2’ tall and prefer semi-shaded, protected sites.

‘Lilliput’ Series: 2’ tall plants with small (2” wide) flowers in shades of white, pink, orange, yellow, and red.

‘Peppermint Stick Mix’: large, double flowers are cream or pale yellow with mottling and spotting in red and pink. Plants are 2’ tall.

‘Ruffles’ Series: 2’ tall plants with prolific double flowers in pink, red, white and yellow.