The first zinnia (Zinnia peruviana) was discovered in Mexico and brought to Europe by the Spaniards in the 1500’s. The plant was ugly, sparsely foliated and rangy. It produced small flowers whose petals were often various muddy shades of yellow and orange.
In 1796, Zinnia elegans was brought to Europe, which the world fell in love with. It is the ancestral plant from which our modern-day zinnias have developed.
Today there are more than 20 known species of zinnia, but only three are commercially available: Zinnia elegans, Zinnia augustifolia, a small daisy-like zinnia, and Zinnia haageana. Zinnia blossoms come in many varieties and are often described as single flowered, semi-double flowered, fully double flowered and cactus flowered.