The Zinnia is named for Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727-1759), an 18th century German professor of botany and physics who found the flower while in Mexico.
The Zinnia was found in the gardens of Montezuma that were planted with dahlias, sunflowers, and morning glories. Upon invading and destroying the Aztec empire the invading Spanish army officers reported that his gardens were finer than any in all of Europe.
Aztec tradition holds that whenever one found a new species from a distant location, Montezuma's gardeners were instructed to prick their ears and sprinkle the plant with the blood. This was indeed a blood-oriented society.
The Zinnia was found in the gardens of Montezuma that were planted with dahlias, sunflowers, and morning glories. Upon invading and destroying the Aztec empire the invading Spanish army officers reported that his gardens were finer than any in all of Europe.
Aztec tradition holds that whenever one found a new species from a distant location, Montezuma's gardeners were instructed to prick their ears and sprinkle the plant with the blood. This was indeed a blood-oriented society.