Zinnia is a plant from the Asteraceae family. All species of the genus Zinnia are native to the Western Hemisphere. The genus includes about twenty species of herbs, shrubs and subshrubs. Most of its representatives in their homeland plants are perennials. In the temperate climate of the Eastern Hemisphere, they are grown as annuals.
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Biological description
Zinnia is an ornamental plant that can be used for various solutions in gardens, parks and lawns.. These beautiful flowers look very similar to asters, however, have one indisputable advantage: the flowering time of a single zinnia flower can be from 35 to 40 days, which can be called an absolute record even among annual plants.
dahlia flower zinnia
Planting zinnia in our climate can be carried out both in open ground and with the help of seedlings; the plant requires minimal care and, we can say that it grows with little or no human intervention. Currently, zinnias are becoming increasingly popular, since relatively recently they were appreciated by flower growers and right now their new varieties are being formed.
Despite the fact that this plant arrived in Europe more than three hundred years ago, it did not gain much popularity. This, most likely, was due to the difficulty of breeding its new varieties or hybrids. Gardeners were unable to carry out even the most elementary artificial selection, so they were satisfied with the relatively small variety of existing wild and cultivated species.
Not more than 100 years ago, new zinnia hybrids were found, and the market began to be saturated little by little with these beautiful flowers. An easy-to-care annual with a beautiful appearance and almost complete lack of care and requirements for growing conditions, he immediately won the hearts of many representatives of the world of floristry.
Various types of zinnia
Zinnia is a plant that provides the grower with a fairly wide choice in height, density and spreading of the bushes. The shades of its flowers are represented by almost all colors, except, perhaps, black.
The size of the plant, depending on the species and variety, can reach from 20 to 150 cm. The diameter of its flowers can also vary greatly: from tiny flowers with six petals 2 cm in diameter to spherical giants measuring 18 by 16 cm, with more than 200 petals in one inflorescence.
The stem of the plant is straight, practically not branching. Leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem at regular intervals. Their surface is covered with barely noticeable hairs. The root system is quite developed and deeply penetrating into the soil.
The plant is thermophilic, loves sunny places, protected from the wind. It tolerates drought and low humidity. The only factor limiting the spread of this plant in our climate is temperature. Already at temperatures below +10°C, the life cycle of the plant slows down significantly, and a further decrease, even for a short time, leads to the death of the plant.
Zinnia at home
Reproduction of the plant in our climate is carried out exclusively by seed. Even plants grown at home, like perennials, are much easier to propagate with seeds. For several years, the seeds are able to remain viable, in addition, more than a hundred of them are formed from each flower, which guarantees the production of new plant material.
Some varieties of zinnia are able to propagate by self-sowing. Sometimes this is a rather serious problem for the grower, since plants can appear in the most unexpected places in the garden or flower garden. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to regularly inspect the plants and collect ripened fruits, preventing them from dispersing seeds.
Despite the vulnerability of the plant to low temperatures, the number of seeds from one bush is able to "populate" about one and a half acres of the plot area, and it will be quite problematic to remove zinnia from there.
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An arid climate, a long absence of watering and a long stay in the Sun are the natural conditions for the life of a plant. It is in such conditions that zinnia feels great, grows profusely and blooms. In partial shade and shaded areas, zinnia blooms will not be as luxurious, and the stems of the plant will stretch excessively.
In addition, such conditions significantly inhibit the formation of leaves and the plant will look completely nondescript. Strong winds also do not improve the appearance of zinnia - under their influence, the bushes become low and very dense due to the large amount of deciduous mass. Therefore, the ideal place for growing will be the sunny side of the site, limited along the perimeter by natural fences that prevent strong gusts of wind.
The sunny side of the plot is an ideal place for growing
The composition and fertility of the soil for zinnia are not critical - it can grow on almost any soil. The plant is most fully able to manifest itself on soils with neutral or weak acidity, however, this is not critical: the plant is able to obtain most of the substances necessary for life by itself due to photosynthesis processes.
In the case of growing a plant at home, any light and loose soil for flowers is suitable. It can be purchased at the store, or made independently from a mixture in equal proportions of leafy soil, peat and sand. In extreme cases, even loamy soil mixed with sand in a ratio of 3 to 1 can be used.
A much more important factor for normal zinnia cultivation is temperature. For normal growth, flowering and fruiting, it is necessary that the daily temperature ranges from + 18 ° C to + 22 ° C. The plant will feel comfortable even at elevated temperatures, however, lowering the temperature to + 10 ° C can be fatal for the plant.
graceful zinnia
That is why planting a plant in open ground should be done only when the likelihood of cold snaps and frosts is minimal. It is believed that the timing of planting seeds in open ground should not occur before the second half of May. The average start time of budding is 2 months after planting, therefore, in order for the plant to bloom in mid-June, it must be planted in April.
In much of the temperate area, this timeframe is still too early, as frost is still likely to occur. Therefore, it is recommended to grow zinnia by seedling method with planting young plants in open ground around the middle or end of May.
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Planting a plant in seedlings
The optimal time for planting zinnia seeds for seedlings will be mid-April. Later plantings can lead to the fact that at the time of planting in open ground, the budding process will already begin in the plant, and overripe seedlings take root much worse.
zinnia seeds
For seeds, it is necessary to choose wide boxes with a depth of at least 10-12 cm. Since the seedlings grow mainly upwards, the distance between the seeds can be chosen quite compact - no more than 3 cm. The seeds are placed in the soil to a depth of about 1-1.5 cm, after which they are covered with soil and watered with a spray gun. After that, it is necessary to cover the box with a film or glass to create greenhouse conditions. As a soil, you can use any mixture for seedlings, or make a composition of peat and sand in a ratio of 1 to 1.
After the appearance of the first shoots, the film is removed and the box is placed in a sunny place with a temperature of at least +18°C. It is necessary to constantly keep the soil moist. In this case, it is necessary to use the spray gun again so as not to accidentally wash the seeds out of the soil. In this case, you should not “fill in” the seedlings, it is enough just to keep the soil moist.
Seedling before picking
When the seedlings reach a height of about 10 cm, it must be dived into a separate container. Zinnia tolerates transplanting well, so at this stage there should be no particular problems. Young plants are dug up to the cotyledons and transferred to individual pots. At the same time, it is possible to additionally stimulate the zinnia horse system for active growth by pinching the root at a level of about 2 cm.
Plant hardening should begin immediately after diving.by placing them for some time in conditions with a temperature less than 5 ° C than the one in which they were grown before. And two weeks before planting in open ground (approximately in mid-May), it is necessary to take the plants out into the open air, leaving them on it every day for an hour more than on the previous day.
When the bushes are hardened, they must be planted in open ground. Tall varieties are planted in increments of about 30-40 cm, undersized and sprawling 20-30 cm. About a week after the young plants are already sufficiently adapted, you can pin them at a level of 3-5 cm from the crown.
Such an operation will make the plant more spreading and lay additional side shoots, after which the bush will become more decorative and dense. Sometimes a similar procedure is done even at the hardening stage - while pinching is done a little higher than the fifth leaf on the seedlings.
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Planting zinnia in open ground
Weather permitting, zinnia seeds can be planted directly in the flower bed. At the same time, the germination of seeds will not particularly differ from the seedling method of cultivation. However, there will be much less worries about planting material in this case.
Planting seeds should be carried out only when the probability of cold snaps or frosts is negligible. May 15th is generally considered a good time to plant zinnia outdoors in our climate.
Beds are made in the flower bed with a depth of 1.5 to 2 cm. The distance between plants is chosen the same as recommended earlier (30 cm large, 20 cm small). After planting, the beds are watered, which is carried out daily for a month after planting. As with seedlings, a spray bottle must be used to avoid washing out the seeds.
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plant care
Zinnia is unpretentious, however, it is better to know and follow some rules for caring for it. It is necessary to carry out regular watering with a small amount of water and loosen the earth around the bushes of the plant to a depth of 2-3 cm. This will provide the roots with the necessary moisture and respiration, which will stimulate the plant to form new flowers.
Watering should be carried out at a time when there is no scorching sun. It can be either in the evening or in the morning. You can also water the plants on a cloudy day.
In autumn, organic fertilizers should be applied to the zinnia plot.
Young plants are watered from a spray bottle. For watering adult plants, a watering can with a narrow spout is used. During the budding period, it is necessary to carefully monitor the soil moisture.
It is recommended to bookmark more buds to make additional pruning of the plant. Regular collection of seeds is necessary; firstly, this will allow the plant to maintain a decorative appearance, and, secondly, it will prevent self-seeding.
Plant feeding is carried out twice per season. For the first time it is produced in late autumn of the year preceding the planting of zinnia. Organic fertilizers (compost, humus, mullein solution) are applied for the site and the site is carefully dug up. In this case, for example, there is no need to introduce manure, since it is too active a substance and such a powerful support for decorative culture is simply not needed.
Grown in outdoor planters
Second fertilizer demolished at the start of budding. It should be a complex mineral fertilizer, or a mixture of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. But, in no case should nitrogen fertilizers be applied during budding. They will force the plant to grow its green part, and the formation of new buds and flowering will slow down significantly.
There is an alternative scheme for feeding zinnia, consisting of four edges. This scheme consists of the following: two more are added to the already mentioned dressings. The first is made a month before budding. At the same time, a solution of urea is introduced under the plants at a concentration two times less than the recommended one.
This is due to the fact that a very young plant, in fact, seedlings, will be fertilized. The second top dressing repeats the top dressing during budding, but is applied a month after it. It is also recommended, against the background of dressings accompanying budding, to additionally irrigate the buds on plants with a special preparation "Bud".
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One of the main problems of the plant is its vulnerability to powdery mildew. This disease is quite easy to recognize: with it, the leaves and stems of the plant are covered with a kind of gray coating. The reasons for its appearance can be very different: violation of plant care conditions, insect attacks, excessive watering, etc. Plants that are exposed to damp conditions are especially vulnerable to this disease. Most often, powdery mildew affects plants during periods of cold and rainy summer.
Diseased zinnia leaves
The disease can be defeated with modern fungicides. The main thing is to prevent its recurrence in the future. To do this, you need to change the conditions of the plant and adjust the watering.
In addition, the plant can sometimes be affected by Fusarium and root rot. As a rule, the main causes of such diseases are associated with the same as powdery mildew - high humidity. Correction of the irrigation regime and regular loosening of the soil after watering are the best preventive measures against such diseases.
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The species diversity of zinnia is relatively low. There are about two dozen species, of which only 4 are widely used in landscape design.It was on their basis that the currently existing varietal subspecies and hybrids were created.
Zinnia graceful
Zinnia graceful
It is the nomenclatural type of zinnia and has the greatest distribution. In another way, this species is also called "elegant zinnia". Botanists in England and Ireland officially call it "youth-and-old age", most likely similarly to coltsfoot, due to the varying degree of pubescence of the leaves.
The plant is a typical Astrov, originating from Mexico. The flower is an annual, even in its homeland. Depending on the variety, it has a height of 30 to 130 cm. The stems are mostly not branched. They have a round section and are covered with a small edge.
The plant has relatively large seeds, their dimensions are 10-15 mm in length and about 6 mm in width. At the same time, the seeds are always flattened. Their shape can be very diverse - from narrow and long to oval and round. One gram contains about 150 seeds. Germination above 85% is maintained for the first two years, then drops somewhat. It is best to plant the seeds within the first year after they are harvested.
Often, designers are faced with the fact that seeds can germinate unevenly.. Therefore, the view of the area with zinnias can be slightly spoiled by less beautiful and undersized specimens. To avoid such troubles, it is recommended to choose seeds for flower carpets from the top basket of the central shoot of zinnia. It is believed that the seeds from this shoot have the highest germination.
The plant does not naturally cross with other zinnia species, however, there are ways to do so indirectly. Thanks to this, many varieties of this plant were obtained.
Zinnia graceful contains three groups of varietal varieties, united by common features:
- dahlia group
- pompom group
- fantasy group
dahlia zinnia
Zinnia dahlia is a large bush, about 1 m high, with large leaves about 12-15 cm long. It is distinguished by large spherical inflorescences, about 15 cm in diameter. The inflorescences contain many terry petals. The shape of the flower and its colors are very diverse.
For normal growth, this species requires not only a well-lit area and regular watering, but also fertilizing. They are applied in the form of organic fertilizers in autumn, as well as in the form of mineral fertilizers immediately before flowering.
Most varieties of dahlia zinnia are inhabitants of a warm climate. In temperate climates, only a few varieties do well in outdoor growing conditions.
pom pom group consists of low plants, no more than 50 cm high. They have dense and compact bushes with a large number of stems. The size of the flowers is small - about 4 cm, the flowering of the plant begins in all flowers almost simultaneously.
Representatives of the Fantasia group
Group Fantasy consists of plants of medium height (up to 70 cm), with relatively large leaves and flowers. The diameter of the flowers is about 10 cm. In terms of the shape of the structure of the flowers, Fantasy resembles a dahlia flower. The difference lies in the fact that its flowers are able to bloom as much as possible, arching in different directions.Sometimes they differ in non-standard colors or a special shape of the leaves.
Consider the most popular varietal varieties of zinnia that can be grown in our climate in open ground:
Zinnia Barpis
It is a terry variety with various shades of petals. The plant is very decorative. Its flowers have a diameter of up to 13 cm, they have a flattened spherical shape. The plant is characterized by long flowering, as well as good resistance to cutting. If, after cutting, put the flowers in hot water, they can stand in it with little or no loss of appearance for about 3 weeks.
The plant has long and strong stems that do not require a garter. Shrubs are best planted in well-lit areas, because with a lack of light, the stems can stretch significantly, and the flower size will be small.
The variety is heat-loving, in order to avoid frost when caring for it, they begin to grow it in early March in the form of seedlings. Flowering with this method of cultivation begins in June.
Carousel
An annual, the petals of which have two (sometimes three) colors. The inner part of the petals, attached to the calyx, has a color that matches the color of the stamens, and the color of the outer may differ significantly. In some cases, a gradient color of the petal is possible with a smooth transition from one color to another.
The diameter of Carousel flowers reaches 12 cm, and the height of their stems rarely exceeds 50 cm. The inflorescences are usually double. Flowering begins from the first decade of July, provided that the plant is grown in seedlings with planting in mid-March. When planted in open ground in May, flowering occurs in mid-August. Flowering can be extended by removing faded inflorescences.
He loves soil fertilized in autumn with rotted manure or mullein. This variety is calcephilous (that is, it prefers slightly or moderately alkaline soils), which is a rare case in the floriculture of our latitudes. Does not tolerate shade and strong winds. The ideal landing site is a well-defended southern slope of the site.
Persian rug
A colorful tricolor plant, about 45 cm high with flowers in yellow, orange and red hues. The leaves of the plant are triangular in shape and light green in color. Flowers diameter 5-6 cm.
In the flower beds goes well with marigolds or calendula, despite the similarity in colors. The bushes of the plant are quite dense and compact. The recommended distance for landing in open ground is 30-40 cm.
It is grown using a seedling method, while the speed of bush formation is one of the highest among zinnias. The plant is able to bloom within a month after spitting seeds. In warm areas, landing directly into open ground is permissible as early as April.
Flowering lasts depending on the time of planting from May to October. This variety does not tolerate waterlogging, so watering should be more scarce than moderate.
polar bear
The height of the bush is about 60 cm. This variety loves a lot of light and heat. In addition, the plant responds well to top dressing during the flowering period. They need to be done about once every 3-4 weeks.
Flowering is observed from mid-June to late August. Using the standard technique with the removal of faded inflorescences, it can be extended by 1-2 months.
Violet
The name of the variety speaks of its shades. It is predominantly purple, but shades of purple and blue are also found. It has dense terry inflorescences, of which there can be more than 20 on a bush. The buds are quite large in size - from 10 to 12 cm. Flowering time is about three months, it begins in June.
The height of the stems of this variety of zinnia reaches 90 cm. It prefers loose soils of neutral acidity; unlike some varieties of this species and elegant zinnia, it does not like loam, but grows well on sandy soils.
orange king
It is the same Violet, however, a little more compact and has an orange color. Large double flowers up to 14 cm in diameter are located on bushes 65-70 cm high. Growing conditions and flowering characteristics are similar to the Violet variety.
angustifolia
This species is characterized by elongated leaves with pointed ends. The height of representatives of this species reaches 60-70 cm, they have medium-sized flowers with a diameter of 4-6 cm. For narrow-leaved zinnias, a relatively small number of petals in a flower is characteristic.
Thin color or linearis
Zinnia fine-flowered and zinnia linearis
Representatives of these two species are heat-loving plants and in our climate their cultivation is possible only at home. The height of these plants is from 30 to 60 cm, most of them have small flowers, about 3 cm in diameter.
Zinnias are used in landscape design primarily in group plantings. They look good in mixborders and borders. Plants go well with asters, marigolds, calendula and chrysanthemums. Zinnias will also find their place in individual planting, as their compact and neat bushes look beautiful on their own.
These flowers can be used not only on flowerbeds and flower beds, but also in vegetable gardens - as separators beds or plants that perform the functions of attracting attention. The popularity of this plant is increasing every year and they are increasingly replacing cultures already familiar to everyone, such as asters, nasturtiums and marigolds.
Some picking secrets
Zinnia: description, planting in open ground, caring for an annual with the longest flowering (95 Photos & Videos) + Reviews
With annual plants, it is much better to maintain the originality of the flower bed and the entire front garden. You can either plant a semin on your own or buy already grown seedlings (I personally do this). Every year I plant as I please, they are 100% accepted, and in the fall it’s just worth removing the dry parosts and preparing for the winter.
Every year you can organize the design in a new way, and with many years there is more fuss.