Zinnia tenuifolia Red Spider Seeds

Zinnia tenuifolia 'Red Spider' is such a singular botanical species that it was a cultivar name, a pretty name that fits its red, spider-like flowers like a glove. It is a very dainty, graceful zinnia that possesses all the charm of a wildflower. This bushy, well-branched plant produces a multitude of flowers in the form of capitula with slender, bright red petals, arranged around a dark red, domed centre, stippled with gold. It is a fast-growing annual that blooms lengthily, from summer to early autumn. It is simply radiant in borders, beds and bouquets, and growing them is within any gardener's reach.

Zinnia tenuifolia is a herbaceous annual plant belonging to the large family Asteraceae, like daisies and asters. It is a botanical species that is rarely cultivated and that is native to the dry meadows of America, particularly those of Mexico.

Within a few weeks, the plant grows into a well-branched mound, which grows to 60 cm high and 40-50 cm wide on average. Its stems are hollow and carry rough, downy, lanceolate to elliptical leaves of a beautiful dark green hue that enhances the blooms. It flowers from June-July to September-October, about 9-12 weeks after sowing. Its blooms are nectar-rich and melliferous. The flowers appear in the axils of the leaves; they are simple, 6 cm wide flower heads, composed of 10 to 14, glossy, thin, elongated, scalloped ligulate florets that are set well apart from each other. They surround a domed, garnet-red centre from which golden yellow stamens emerge. The flowers are followed by numerous seeds which self-seed spontaneously in light soil.

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 this charming Red Spider zinnia with sages, cranesbill and pink Rudbeckias for example, or with other airy plants such as Coreopsis or Ammi visnaga. They also make particularly successful combinations with ornamental grasses. They can also be sown in pots to decorate the terrace in summer.