Zinnia Facts – Burnished Gold

The common flower zinnia is a favorite in my garden. It attracts a large variety of butterflies and bees. They are shrubs, native to North America. They are grown from seeds.

Did you know that birds like the humming bird and butterflies are more attracted to the single flowered zinnias rather than the multi layered flowers? It is easier for birds, bees and butterflies to get the nectar from the single layers flowers.

Zinnias add color to your garden while attracting pollinators which are equally important to gardeners.

Zinnia come in different colors but there are basically two varieties, The tall ones grow 2-3 feet in height, while the dwarf varieties don’t grow more than a feet in height.

Some simple tip for growing Zinnias

Crowding of plants results in smaller and lesser flowers. Pinching the tips when the buds strt forming helps to mnake the plant bushier and produce more flowers.

Dead heading the flowers as they begin to brown on the edges helps produce more flowers.

They do well in about 4-6 hours of direct sun or even dappled light.

Zinnia grow from seeds in 6-8 days. Soaking the seeds for a few hours n room temperature water helps the seeds to sprout faster.

The flowers last for about 7-10 days ideally.

The leaves are rough like sandpaper.

Regular fertilization helps the plants keep blooming longer. I usually give them a couple of tablespoons of organic fertilizer for a medium sized pot 8-10 inches.