Ask the Expert: What is this flower?

ZInnia

Planted Butterfly Weed seeds (Asclepias tuberosa) from a seed packet and this plant seed was in this packet with them. I like the plant and don’t know if perennial or annual. It is close to 3 feet tall now with 1 to 2 and a half inch pink flowers with 12 to 15 petals. I would like to know it’s name in case it does not come back next spring. Thanks D Jackson

Plant Expert Reply:

From the look of the leaves and the blooms, it is a type of Zinnia.  It could be Zinnia elegans which is an annual and will not come back next year.  Or it could be a Zinnia angustifolia  which is also an annual.

Although they are not perennials, the seeds that have dropped may come up the next year. If you like the look of this flower, type profusion zinnias.  I have them in my garden and love them. We have been growing and selling them at our garden center for over 5 years.  They are easy to care for and perform very well under hot summer temperatures.  If you don’t like to deadhead, you’ll like the profusion.  Even when I forget to deadhead this plant it still goes like gangbusters.