The author of the text is Dr. Regina Dębicz
Elegant zinnia Zinnia elegans, also known as Jacobin, has stiff, erect, slightly branched stems, oblong and egg-shaped leaves and velvety, saturated flowers on which butterflies eagerly sit.
It is indeed elegant, but also inaccessible due to the rough hairs on the stems and leaves.Depending on the variety, it can reach a height of 20 to 100 centimeters. In the past, zinnia grew mainly in gardens, especially rural ones, today they can be found both on carpet flower beds and on balconies - everywhere.
A multitude of varieties
The inflorescence of the elegant zinnia is a flower basket (zinnia belongs to the Asteraceae family) with a diameter of 4-16 centimeters, placed individually on a long stalk.The baskets have a different structure (similar to the structure of dahlias, chrysanthemums or marigolds), which is also a varietal feature.
In order to introduce some order in a huge number of varieties, varietal groups were distinguished on the basis of the construction of the basket and the height of plants. The best-known varietal groups of zinnia are dahlia and chrysanthemum.They are represented by tall varieties with large baskets, strongly filled with flowers.The first ones reach a height of 90 centimeters and have baskets 12-15 centimeters in diameter with wide, tongue-shaped flowers bent upwards.
The second, or chrysanthemum zinnia, are slightly lower, with baskets 10-15 centimeters in diameter and quite narrow, slightly twisted ligament flowers. The cultivars from the group of Californian giants, 100 centimeters high, with full, slightly flat inflorescences 15-16 centimeters in diameter, with ligulate flowers slightly bent downwards are among the highly valued.
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In the cactus group, on the other hand, there are varieties with a height of 60-80 centimeters and baskets filled with tightly curled ligulate flowers.Varieties with 6-8 cm diameter anemone (half-double) baskets are also very popular, with ligulate flowers only on the edge of the basket, and the middle with tubular flowers of the same color.For low (25-40 centimeters) varietal groups include Liliput, Cupido and Pomponowe.
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Their varieties have small (4-5 centimeters in diameter), full or semi-double flower baskets.The greatest value of elegant zinnia is primarily a wide range of colors of ligulate flowers: from purple, yellow, orange, red to pink, white, greenish and many shades.There are also varieties with bicolor flowers.
Narrow-leaved zinnia angustifolia has gained great popularity in recent years. Plants of this species reach a height of 20-40 centimeters, are strongly branching and have lanceolate leaves.Blooms long and profusely.Cultivars differ in color and fullness of flower heads.
