Zinnia elegans Art Deco Seeds

Zinnia elegans 'Art Deco' is a stunning mix of tall, well-proportioned Zinnia that bear large, semi-double to double flowers in many romantic shades at the top of long stems, that are sensational in bouquets. This tall plant is grown as an annual and produces from July until the first frosts, depending on the date of sowing, a colourful display of light pink, lilac, lavender and dark purple hues. It is simply gorgeous in beds and bouquets and easy to grow by all types of gardeners.

Zinnia elegans is a sturdy annual belonging to the family Asteraceae, that is native to Mexico and has given rise to many cultivars. 'Art Deco' is just one selection of these hybrids, is cultivated for the beauty of its large capitulum. The plant forms a well-branched mound which is on average 80 cm high and 40 cm wide. Its stems are hollow and very long and carry rough, downy, lanceolate to elliptical, medium green leaves. It bears nectar-rich, melliferous blooms from July to September-October. The flowers appear in the axils of the leaves, forming large, double or semi-double, hemispherical, slightly flattened, 10 cm wide capitula that are composed of numerous spatulate ligulate flowers, resembling the inflorescence of certain dahlias. They display different hues depending on the plant: either a fresh, light pink, lavender, red or royal purple, all surrounding a darker centre.

Much appreciated for their sturdiness, striking colours and ease of cultivation, Zinnias are a valuable asset in any garden. Versatile, they can be placed in borders, flowerbeds or in the vegetable garden, between rows of crops. Zinnia thrives in the sun and tolerates heat very well, provided they are watered every once in a while. It performs best in neutral, rich, well-drained soil. It is quite undemanding, adapting to any average garden soil. You can easily combine it with perennials such as pink Rudbeckias or other annuals such as Coreopsis or Ammi visnaga. They can also be sown in pots to decorate the terrace in summer.