Zinnia elegans

‘Cresto Peachy Pink’

CRESTO PEACHY PINK ZINNIAS

Zinnia elegans ‘Cresto Peachy Pink’

CRESTO PEACHY PINK ZINNIAS

Zinnia elegans ‘Cresto Peachy Pink’ is both a lovely colour and an unusual form.

Lush peach colouring flushed with pink

The pincushion of petals shade from peach to apricot, blended with cream and rose around the base plate of petals, with a dark central eye.
Such stunning, unusual colouring makes Zinnia elegans ‘Cresto Peachy Pink’ very special.

Unusual pincushion flowers

‘Cresto Peachy Pink’ is a “pincushion” or “scabiosa” style Zinnia.
With a domed tea-cup centre of tiny petals, backed by a saucer of broad petals.
The height of the crest, and the number of petals will vary from flower to flower – but all are utterly delightful.

Covers with prolific blooms for many months

The “Cresto” or “Pincushion” Zinnias are renowned for their exceptional long blooming – through spring, summer and autumn.
Plus for their prolific production of blooms.
Individual blooms are small, but what they lack in size they make up for with numbers and long season of blooming.

Lovely variations of colour and form  – even on one plant

Blooms will also shade and vary in colour, even on the one plant – making them endlessly fascinating and useful for picking.
Forms will also vary on the one plant, and from plant to plant too.
So expect very full doubles, some semi-doubles, and even the occasional single.
Making the plant a breathtaking sight with such a mass of these varying flowers and colours.

Tips for commercial cut flower growers

To encourage branching and maximum flower production, pinch the centre of the plants when they are about 30cm. high.
Continue to cut blooms as often as possible, and ‘Cresto Peachy Pink’ will give a dazzling production performance.
Harvest the blooms when the stem is stiff – if the stem is still flexible and bends easily – the flowers are not ready.
Do not cool store Zinnias.

Beloved by florists

Florists adore blooms of Zinnia elegans ‘Cresto Peachy Pink’.
Because the flowers are just the right size for bouquets and vases, with long, strong stems.
Not to mention the wonderful colour shades.
Vase life is extended by adding a few drops of bleach to the vase water.

Flowers for friends

Zinnias symbolize thoughts of absent friends in the old language of flowers.
And there are certainly plenty of flowers to share.

Striking garden display, showy pots

So it is a perfect all-rounder for garden display, showy pots, or popular floristry commercial cut flowers.
It is a splendid “cut & come again” plant – because the more blooms you cut the more it gives.

Great bee food

Bees and butterflies cannot believe their luck with this long blooming smorgasbord of nectar and pollen, served up right through spring, summer and autumn.
So they make ideal companions in the veggie and picking garden where they haul in the pollinators.

Repellent to rabbits, deer & whitefly

Fortunately rabbits and deer find the flavour of Zinnias unpalatable. And Zinnias also have an age old reputation for repelling White Fly.
So they have long been used as companion plants with vegetables and fruit.

Edible flowers for the kitchen

Zinnia flowers are also growing in popularity for cooking, particularly to add colour to salads, drinks and as colourful garnish.
They are wonderfully edible. However use the petals sparingly as they can add a bitter flavour if used too thickly.

Easy to grow in the garden or field

Grow Zinnia elegans ‘Cresto Peachy Pink’ in well-drained soil.
They prefer lighter soils, from the sandy side to good garden loam.
But can also tolerate clay based soils as long as the soil is opened up with plenty of organic matter to improve drainage.
Zinnias are also tolerant of a wide range of soil pH, from acid to alkaline lime based soils.
But do not over fertilize them for best flowering results.

Water-wise & heat resistant

Zinnia elegans ‘Cresto Peachy Pink’ is water-wise plant to grow, requiring only minimal additional water during hot periods.
They relish summer heat and are drought resistant, so ideally suited to Australian summers.

Zinnias are made tough

Zinnias bask in the sun, and like plenty of fresh air movement.
So they are ideal for more exposed sites and seaside gardens, with their strong, stout stems.
They are after all natives of Mexico, and southwestern America.
And so well adapted to summer heat.

Quick & easy from seed to flower

Zinnia elegans ‘Cresto Peachy Pink’ generally take around 75-80 days from sowing the seed to flowering, given good temperatures.

Traditional medicinal plant

Zinnias were commonly used by native North American peoples for anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory medicines.
Though some tribes also believed the flowers should be regularly fed to children to improve their IQ.

Prolific blooming annual.
60-75cm. High with exquisitely coloured flowers x 50cm. Wide bushy foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Very suitable for beginners & gardening with kids

Zinnias can be started very quickly from seed indoors.
Ready for earliest possible flowers and longest possible flower production.

But do prick them out promptly from their seedling punnets, as they quickly develop a long, strong root system.

They can also be very successfully sown direct into the garden.
But you need to wait until day and night temperatures are quite warm.

Sow indoors for quick & early plants: First sow the seeds in a punnet, on surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then gently press the seeds onto the surface of the mix, to ensure good contact.

Now cover the seeds only very lightly to a maximum depth of 1.5mm.
And you can use sieved mix, fine grit, vermiculite, or washed sand to sprinkle over the seeds.

Then place the sown punnet into a shallow water bath and allow the moisture to percolate up through the mix from the bottom to the surface until thoroughly moist.

Now place the moist punnet in a warm, well-lit position (not in any direct sun).

Zinnias love warmth to sprout

Temperatures of 22-29°C approx. are best for rapid and optimum germination.
And do use a temperature-controlled heat mat if you have one, to keep the heat up and encourage rapid germination.
A warm window-sill or well-lit corner is also fine once temperatures are warm enough.

Adding a clear plastic cover or plastic bag helps to retain consistent moisture in the punnet.

And continue to keep the punnet moist by spraying the surface of the mix with a fine spray water bottle as required.

Seedlings begin to emerge in approx. 3-7 days.
Then get them pricked out into larger pots as soon as their first set of true leaves develop.

Seed Count: 50 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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