Zinnias haven't always been the darling of the garden. When they were first discovered in its native Mexico by the Spanish, they were thought so unattractive they was called "mal de ojos," or sickness of the eyes.
However, through years of breeding, zinnias have been transformed into one of our favorite garden flowers.
Zinnias are native to the Americas and like the chrysanthemums and dahlias, there are a variety of flower sizes, shapes and colors.
Zinnias are easy to grow directly sown from seed in spring or as transplants started indoors about four weeks earlier. They need full sun and well-drained, fertile, moist soil to get started.
