Zinnia elegans

Youth-and-old-age, Zinnia, Common Zinnia, Elegant Zinnia

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

Let endurance be your watchword: teach the life-force in you—your vital being—not to complain but to put up with all the conditions necessary for great achievement. The body is a very enduring servant, it bears the stress of circumstance tamely like a beast of burden. It is the vital being that is always grumbling and uneasy. The slavery and torture to which it subjects the physical is almost incalculable. How it twists and deforms the poor body to its own fads and fancies, irrationally demanding that everything should be shaped according to its whimsicality! But the very essence of endurance is that the vital should learn to give up its capricious likes and dislikes and preserve an equanimity in the midst of the most trying conditions.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1929 - 1931: Endurance - the Vital's Hunger for Praise - Signs of the Converted Vital

Nothing great is ever accomplished without endurance.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1929 - 1931: Endurance - the Vital's Hunger for Praise - Signs of the Converted Vital

Colour

Wide range, including white, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and multicolored varieties.

Varieties

Message of the Flower

Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

Going to the end of the effort without fatigue or relaxation.

Colour

Wide range of colours

Message of the Flower

Courageous Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

Strong and energetic, never complains.

Colour

Royal purple

Message of the Flower

Victorious Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

It will endure till the end of the battle.

Colour

Orange

Message of the Flower

Spontaneous Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

Natural, effortless, smiling.

Colour

Light green

Message of the Flower

Joyful Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

Whatever happens, it keeps on smiling.

Colour

Bright coral pink

Message of the Flower

Ananda of Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

To know how to bear and endure undoubtedly creates a strong and lasting joy.

Colour

Cream, red

Message of the Flower

Supramentalised Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

The attitude is such that difficulties lose their power to harass.

Colour

Golden-yellow

Message of the Flower

Psychic Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

It will smile at life whatever its difficulties may be.

Colour

Pink

Message of the Flower

Mental Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

The difficulty of the problems to be solved will never discourage it.

Colour

Yellow

Message of the Flower

Endurance of the Higher Vital

The Mother’s Comment

Whatever the circumstances, it never fails.

Colour

Pinkish-mauve

Message of the Flower

Vital Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

Whatever the obstacles, we shall always go forward!

Colour

Violet-red

Message of the Flower

Physical Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

Knows neither fatigue nor exhaustion.

Colour

Dark red

Message of the Flower

Integral Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

It will go on unfailingly till the end of its task.

Colour

White

Message of the Flower

Manifold Endurance

The Mother’s Comment

Whatever the endurance needed, it is always there to do its duty.

Colour

Variegated or multicoloured

Family

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Cultivars

Numerous, including 'Dreamland', 'Profusion', 'Zahara', and 'Queen Lime' series.

Person who named the flower

Johann Gottfried Zinn

Flower Size

Can vary from 1 inch to over 7 inches in diameter, depending on the cultivar.

Flower Texture

Smooth, sometimes with a papery feel.

Number of Petals

Varies widely; single forms have visible individual petals, while doubles have numerous overlapping petals.

Floral Symmetry

Radially symmetrical.

Fragrance of Flower

Generally, zinnias have little to no scent.

Leaf Texture

Rough, slightly hairy.

Leaf Arrangement

Opposite or alternate, depending on the stem position.

Leaf Color

Medium to dark green.

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Upright, bushy annual plant.

Life Cycle

Annual

Blooming Period

From late spring until frost.

Climate

Warm temperate to subtropical.

Water Requirements

Moderate; prefers not to be overwatered.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil; tolerant of poor soils but performs best in rich, fertile substrates.

Temperature Ranges

Thrives in warm conditions; not frost-tolerant.

Sun or Shade

Full sun for best flowering.

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to powdery mildew, leaf spot, and can attract aphids and spider mites.

Pollinators

Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Habitat

Originally from Mexico, now widely cultivated globally.

Role in the Ecosystem

Ornamental use; attracts and supports pollinators.

Ornamental

Widely grown in gardens, containers, and used as cut flowers.

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Popular in horticultural therapy and educational gardening projects for its easy growing nature.

Endangered Status

Not endangered; extensively cultivated.