Zinnia Swizzle

Zinnia Swizzle produce huge, 9 to 10 cm (4in) in diameter, fully double and bicoloured flowers. Each one has a central area coloured in red, surrounded by a circle of a different colour, ivory or yellow depending on the variety. From summer to frost, these very compact and bushy plants form neat little cushions, adorned with large flowers that are remarkable in sunny borders and fresh or dried bouquets. Growing this annual, perfectly adapted to heat and drought, is easy in the sun, in well-drained soil.

Zinnia Swizzle is an interspecific hybrid obtained by the artificial cross-breeding of Z. angustifolia var. angustifolia and Z. violacea, belonging to the Asteraceae family. Both of them are native to northern and western Mexico. This Zinnia forms a small, branching and bushy clump that does not exceed 30 cm (12in) in all directions, but bears oversized flowers. The sturdy stems are adorned with rough and downy, lanceolate to elliptical, medium green leaves. This variety is particularly resistant to fungal diseases, heat, and drought. The flowering, which is very long, takes place from June-July to November, and it is nectariferous and melliferous. The flower is a large head, 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4in) in diameter, very double, with numerous rows of ligulate petals that surround a small golden yellow center. Two different colored varieties are available: the 'Cherry and Ivory' variety, cherry red and ivory white, which is complemented by 'Scarlet and Yellow', scarlet red bordered with golden yellow.

Watching zinnias grow is always a surprise. Capable of emerging from the ground in the most unlikely places, neglected by many plants, their flowers blooming even in gravelly soils and under the scorching sun. Their vibrant hues, sometimes bordering on aggressiveness, blend so well with the relentless summer light and the clear gravel beaches that they can be allowed to grow even in the cracks of the terrace or in the alleys. Even though they are born and die in the same year, it's worth enjoying their endless flowering to the limits of reason. They stand out in country-style borders, where their ardor can be tempered by pairing them with softer blooms, such as white or blue nigellas, cosmos, white gauras, or by placing them in the midst of light grasses like Stipa tenuifolia or Eragrostis trichoides. Of course, they can also be planted in pots to decorate the patio in summer.

Note: Please be aware that our plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant and store them under cover (veranda, greenhouse, cold frame...) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before being planted outdoors once the risk of frost is definitively eliminated.