Zinnia Zahara & Profusion Series Plants Grow Well in Hot Gardens

If winning plant awards is an indication of a plant’s potential success in a garden, then Zinnia Zahara and Profusion series plants should be on the list of annuals to grow in spring. In 2010, the Zinnia ‘Double Zahara Fire,’ Zinnia ‘Double Zahara Cherry,’ and Zinnia ‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ were on the list of All-America Selections winners. This year, the American Garden Award selection had Zinnia ‘Profusion Knee High Red’ on their list voters were choosing from.

In previous years, the Zinnia Profusion series has won Gold Medal designations from All-American Selections and Fleuroselect. At the 2010, Franklin Park Conservatory Trial Garden, 3 out of the top 5 rated Consumer’s choice were Zinnia plants that included Zinnia ‘Double Zahara Fire,’ Zinnia ‘Profusion 7 Color Mix’ and, the newer, Zinnia ‘Zahara Yellow.’

Although leaf spot and mildew diseases have plagued the plants for years, Zinnias have continued to be a favorite annual and considered easy to grow. Now, gardeners have found increased success with the Zinnia Zahara and Profusion series. The primary reason for their success over older varieties has been the development of the improved disease resistance bred into these cultivars.

Zinnia Plant Care and How to Use the Flowers

Zinnia plants are easy to grow and care for, which is why they are frequently suggested for children or beginners learning how to garden. Zinnia flowers can be grown for many uses, as well as, in a variety of gardens.

These annuals love hot gardens without much water; they are a good choice for sustainable garden environments. But, they also attract butterflies and hummingbirds and, since the plants make excellent cut flowers, can be planted anywhere a cutting garden is located; even a patch in a kitchen garden works.

Zinnias are tall plants, generally, with an upright form. The leaves have a rough texture, up to 4″ long with an ovate shape. The high impact blooms are large on the tall varieties and the double flowers have ray flower petals that create a layered pompom appearance.

Zinnia plants are successful in flower gardens located in at least six hours of full sun. Although cultivars are increasingly more mildew resistant, gardeners should be generous with spacing for good air circulation when planting and avoid wetting the foliage when watering. Respect for the Zinnia’s preference for a dry environment helps in combating its mildew issues.

Zinnias in Easy to Grow Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardens

Zinnia Zahara and Profusion series plants grow in so many colors it is simple to create a vibrant garden. Zinnia flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds and need little water and time for a garden to grow well. Food gardeners often add Zinnia plants to their kitchen garden for color outside and to cut for a vase indoors.

Zinnia flowers bloom early through the middle of summer. They are annual plants in the United States but a native plant in Mexico. Gardeners who want to start seeds outside can consider cosmos and sunflowers, as well as zinnias.