Zinnia elegans Mazurkia Seeds

Zinnia elegans 'Mazurkia' is a very attractive variety of tall Zinnia recently selected in the Netherlands and which has been rewarded, among other things, for the doubleness of its inflorescences, which is a trait that is difficult to achieve in cultivars of this colour. This tall plant has an annual life cycle, but grows faster and flowers earlier than most varieties. It sometimes blooms as early as June, depending on the date of sowing, bearing large, fluffy, pompom-like flowers that combine wonderful shades of scarlet red that fades little by little to pink, and cream on their edges. It is simply gorgeous in beds and bouquets, and growing them is foolproof, even for beginner gardeners.

Zinnia elegans is a sturdy annual belonging to the family Asteraceae, that is native to Mexico and has given rise to many cultivars. 'Mazurkia' is just one of them and was selected for its early flowering, its balanced growth habit and the beauty of its large flower heads. The plant forms a well-branched mound, which grows on average 60 cm high and 30 cm wide. Its stems are hollow and are less brittle than older varieties. They carry rough, downy, lanceolate to elliptical, medium green leaves. Flowering occurs from June-July to September-October in the form of nectar-rich, melliferous blooms. The axillary flowers are large, double, hemispherical, slightly flattened capitula, 10 cm across, that are packed with numerous ligulate flowers with fringed edges, giving them the appearance of the inflorescence of certain dahlias. Their colour gradually turns from scarlet red to fuchsia and then to cream, evolving from the centre of the inflorescence outwards, to the edges.

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.