Plant Profile: Zinnia anomala

Zinnia anomala is indigenous to western Texas and northern Mexico, belonging to the sunflower family. This plant can grow as either a herbaceous perennial or an annual and is classified as a subshrub, characterized by its low stature and woody base. Typically reaching a height of just 8 inches (approximately 20 cm), it produces a single flower head per branch, each featuring around 20 red disc florets. The flower heads may either lack ray flowers or possess between 5 to 8 rays.

You can often find this species thriving along open, rocky roadsides and in other disturbed environments. As a photoautotroph, Zinnia anomala has the remarkable ability to convert light into chemical energy.

While this particular variety of zinnia is not commonly available for purchase for home gardens, it is a resilient plant that can thrive even in challenging conditions if you manage to obtain it.