ZINNIA 



compared with the dahlia. Among garden composites 

 its only rivals in point of color range are the chrysan- 

 themum, dahlia, China aster and cineraria. Among gar- 

 den annuals in general the Zinnia ranks with the most 

 useful kinds, and many persons would place it among 

 the twelve most popular of annual flowers. Zinnias 

 are formal flowers, rather stiff in habit, with excep- 

 tional depth of flower, and in technical perfection a lit- 

 tle short of the dahlia: the rays are rather rigid and 

 overlap one another with somewhat monotonous pre- 

 cision, and the colors are metallic as compared with the 

 soft hues of the China aster. 



Historical Sketch. — The Zinnia (Z. elegans), with its 

 great range of color and perfection of form, is now so 

 much a matter of course that the present generation is 

 surprised to learn that it is one of the most recent of 

 "florists' flowers." A double Zinnia probably was not 

 seen in America before the Civil War. In the early six- 

 ties, the Zinnia was a sensation of the floral world; 

 in the seventies it ceased to be fashionable and as 

 early as 1882 it was spoken of as an "old-fashioned" 

 flower. Its course was run in twenty years. 



The single form of the Zinnia is now cultivated only 

 for its scientific or amateur interest. Single Zinnias 

 are not offered by tradesmen and occur only as degen- 

 erates from the double form. The first double forms 

 appeared in 1858 at the nursery of M. Grazau, at 

 Bagneres, France, amongst a number of plants raised 

 from seed received from the West Indies. The double 

 forms were introduced to the public by Vilmorin in 1800. 

 Probably the earliest colored plate of double Zinnias is 

 that in Flore des Serres published toward the end of 

 1800. This shows that the first double forms were much 

 flatter and rougher (i.e., less regular) than to-day and 

 often exhibited some remnant of the disk. The fixation 

 of bright, distinct colors proceeded rapidly, but the 

 purification of the white seems to have been a slow 

 process. The depth of the flower has increased from 

 an inch or so in the earliest double forms to an aver- 

 age of 2 inches for first-class specimens, with a maxi- 

 mum of 4 inches in the robust type. The rays are 

 now arranged in 15 or more series, as against 5 or 6 in 

 the first double forms. The first double forms are shown 

 as 2!^-3 in. across, which is a good average for to-day. 



The accepted type of Zinnia flower is essentially that 

 of Fig. 2795, but the florist's ideal represents a much 

 deeper flower of absolute fulness and regularity. Of 

 recent years several minor variations have appeared. 

 Tubular forms are known to the trade as "Z.tagetiflora 

 flore pleno." The curled and crested forms, intro- 

 duced in the nineties, represent the reaction against 

 formal flowers in general. Much care has been bestowed 

 in perfecting the habit of Zinnias, and there are five 

 well-marked degrees of height, which for purposes of 

 explanation and general convenience may be considered 

 as three, — tall, medium and dwarf. 



I. Tall Zinnias are ordinarily 20 to 30 inches high. 

 This size and the next smaller size are the favorites for 

 general purposes. The tall kinds are available in 12-16 

 colors. A robust race, which attains 28 to 40 inches 

 under perfect conditions, is known to the trade as Z. 

 elegans robusta grandiflora plenissima. It is also known 

 as the Giant or Mammoth Strain. This strain was de- 

 veloped after many years by Herr C. Lorenz and was 

 introduced in 1886. A maximum diameter of 6 inches is 

 recorded for flowers of this strain. In (x.C. II. 26:461 

 is shown a flower measuring 4x4 in., with about 18 se- 

 ries of rays, the latter being so numerous and crowded 

 that the flower is less regular than the common type. 

 A specimen Zinnia plant 3 ft. high is attained in the 

 North only by starting the seed early and giving per- 

 fect culture. 



II. Medium-sized Zinnias range from 12-20 inches in 

 height. They are available in about 8 colors. Here be- 

 long most of the forms known to trade catalogues as 

 pumila. nana and compacta. 



III. Dwarf Zinnias range from 3-12 inches in height 

 and are of two sub-types, the pompons and the Tom 

 Thumbs. The pompons, or "Liliputians," are taller 

 growing and smaller flowered, generally about 9 inches 

 high, with a profusion of flowers about 2 inches across. 

 The Tom Thumb type represents the largest possible 

 flower on the smallest possible plant. Both types are 



ZINNIA 2011 



available in several colors, not all of which are yet fixed 

 in the seed. 



Zinnia Haageana is second in importance to Z. ele- 

 gans. The single form was introduced to cultivation 

 about 1861 and the double about 1871. It is dwarf er 

 than most Zinnias, and has smaller flowers, with a color 

 range restricted to shades of orange. It is distinct and 

 pretty but less showy than the common Zinnias. The 

 first race of hybrids between Haageana and elegans ap- 

 peared in 1876 under the name of Z. Darwini. This 



2794. Single Zinnia (X X A). 



group is said to resemble Z. elegans in size and color of 

 fls., and to recede from Z. elegans in habit, being more 

 branched and forming a broader and thicker bush. 

 However, this race has never been adequately described 

 and it is little known in America to-day. Several va- 

 rieties of the Darwin class are figured in The Florist 

 and Pomologist 1876, pp. 28, 29. Some recent hybrids 

 of Haageana and elegans not yet introduced are said to 

 be full of promise. 



Culture of Zinnias.— Zinnias are of the easiest cul- 

 ture, thriving in any deep, rich soil, whether loamy or 

 sandy. The seeds may be sown about May 1, or when- 

 ever the soil is in fit condition for hardy annuals. 

 Such treatment will give flowers from the first of July 

 until frost. The young plants should be thinned so as 

 to stand a foot or two apart, depending on whether they 

 are of medium or tall-growing habit. By midsummer 

 the foliage should obscure the ground. For the very 

 best results the seed may be started indoors about 

 April 1, and the seedlings transplanted once or twice 

 before being placed outdoors in permanent quarters. 

 Such pains are, however, not vorth while for most peo- 

 ple. In 1801 it was considered the regular thing to start 

 the single Zinnias indoors, but this bother is no longer 



