Happy Monday! For our Plant of the Week, today we’re looking at zinnias, one of our spring annuals!
Their Latin name comes from German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn, although Spanish explorers once called them “mal de ojos”, (“sickness of the eye”). A zinnia was even grown in zero gravity aboard the International Space Station by astronaut Scott Kelly! Did you know? Deer usually avoid them because of their bitter taste. From tiny 10-inch dwarf varieties to towering 4-foot blooms, zinnias come in nearly every color imaginable, except blue!
Easy to grow, pollinator-friendly, and packed with color… it’s easy to see why zinnias are a garden favorite.