Zinnia is named after the botanist of Germany, Johann Gottfried Zinn. It belongs to the daisy family of ‘Compositae’ and the plant has around 20 different species. According to the species, the plant can either be annual or perennial. The plant also bears attractive flowers which blossom from late in spring to early autumn. Zinnia shows a large variation in the shape as well as in colours of its flowers. While some contain only one row of petals the other may appear in the shape of a dome. The flower appears singularly and can be of pink, red, yellow, orange, white, purple and lilac in colour.

Variations can be seen in the leaf structure also. The leaves are arranged in an opposite manner and are usually devoid of stalks. The shapes differ from linear to oval and colours include pale green to medium green.

Zinnia is propagated by seeds and grows well in rich, fertile soils which must be well drained. The plant is moderately drought tolerant and requires bright sunlight. The plant can be found in south west America, South America and primarily in Mexico where Zinnia is a popular garden flower and used as cut flowers also.