All Zahara zinnias will come true from seed (if grown in isolation), because ...Read Morethey are open pollinated seed strains. Referring to them as hybrids has caused some unfortunate confusion.
They were created from selected hybrid crosses between Z. violacea (Z. elegans) and Z. angustifolia. Those hybrids had 23 chromosomes, and hybrids with an odd-numbered chromosome count are usually sterile. That problem was solved by doubling the number of chromosomes to 46, by using colchicine.
The result is a true-breeding open pollinated new species of zinnia, named Z. marylandica in honor of the University of Maryland, where much of the preliminary breeding work was done. The term "hybrid" is applied to the Profusions, Zaharas, and Pinwheels (all Zinnia marylandicas) because hybrids were used in their creation, but they themselves are not hybrids.
Mildew resistant, drought and heat tolerant.
All Zahara zinnias will come true from seed (if grown in isolation), because ...Read More