Each year, the professional horticulture industry comes together to showcase one flower (and one vegetable!) of the year, based on popularity, ease, adaptability, versatility and diversity. This year, it's the Zinnia, which perfectly fits all of the defined categories and more. So, what's to love?
- Great in borders, beds, containers, cutting gardens, you name it.
- Known as the "cut and come again" flower. Some varieties are prolific enough to be a ground cover.
- Heights vary from 8 inches up to 4 feet, giving you options that are short, tall and everything in between.
- Easy to sow from seed.
- Sun loving, fast growing and super low maintenance, just the way I like 'em!
- Like color? Available in yellow, orange, cherry, pink, purple, scarlet, white, as well as fashionable chartreuse (my personal fave).
- Practically pest free.
There really isn't anything not to love about Zinnias. Ironically, this is the first year that I haven't used Zinnias in my gardens. Regrets!
Random fact: When the Spanish first saw the Zinnia species in Mexico, they thought the flower was so unattractive they named it mal de ojos or "sickness of the eye!"
For more horticulture history, recommendations and how to grow from seed, check out the Year of the Zinnia page on the National Gardening Association site. (P.S. For all of you vegetable gardeners, 2011 is also the Year of the Tomato, chosen by the NGA.)
Zinnia Giant Double Mix-Pink
Zinnia Giant Double Mix-Pink, close up so you can see "the eye!"
Zinnia Profusion 5 Color Mix, I've used these in containers and beds before, they spread like crazy and keep until hard fall frost (and then some!)
All content and photos provided by the National Garden Bureau via the National Gardening Association.
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