Hybridization has turned the zinnia wildflower into one of the most popular bedding plants. There are at least a hundred cultivars in a diversity of flower colors and types. Zinnias come in shades of orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow and there are also bi-color and tri-color varieties. The wide variety of flower shapes include stars, daisies, dahlias, spiders, buttons, domes, and quill-leaf cactus shapes. Zinnias bloom from late spring until the first frost in fall and are long lasting.
The conversion of a zinnia flower bud into a mature flower is a fascinating process, which takes several days. Today’s photo was taken from the side of a zinnia bud, one day older than the bud shown yesterday.