Johann Gottfried Zinn: The Young Anatomist and Botanist Behind the Zinnia Flower

April 6, 1759

Dearest reader,

On this day, we remember the brief yet brilliant life of Johann Zinn, who, though he lived but 32 years before succumbing to tuberculosis, left an indelible mark on both anatomy and botany.

How rare it is to find a soul who so ardently embraced two such seemingly disparate scientific realms—the intricate human eye and the vibrant world of flowers!

Indeed, one must wonder: what musings stirred in Johann’s mind as he shifted his gaze from the ocular to the botanical?

Johann’s anatomical pursuits focused on the eye, a marvel of nature’s design. He authored a pioneering book on eye anatomy and was the first to describe the Iris. So esteemed is his legacy that we still honor him in anatomy with the names Zinn's zonule, Zinn's membrane, and Zinn's artery.

Yet the tale does not end there.

When appointed director of the University Botanic Garden in Göttingen, he mightily surprised himself by turning not to anatomy, which was already assigned, but to botany. In this domain, his passion flourished anew.

Picture, if you will, a letter arriving one day bearing seeds from the German Ambassador in faraway Mexico—exotic, mysterious tokens of nature’s boundless creativity. Johann nurtured these seeds into life, lovingly illustrating their blossoms. He shared these botanical treasures with colleagues across Europe, spreading fascination like pollen on the breeze. These seeds bore the flower we know today as the Zinnia.

But let us delve deeper into this floral enigma: the Aztecs called the original Zinnia “the evil eye” or “eyesore.”

How unkind!

This weedy, dull purple bloom was initially regarded as coarse and unloved, thus dubbed crassina.

Yet, as with any fairytale, transformation awaited. When French horticulturists began hybridizing the Zinnia, they coaxed forth dazzling colors that turned the heads and hearts of gardeners far and wide. Now known as the Cinderella Flower, the Zinnia’s evolution from overlooked weed to beloved garden star provokes wonder: might not all our gardens harbor hidden beauties awaiting their moment to dazzle?

Today, Zinnias thrive in gardens everywhere, celebrated not only for their rainbow hues but for their ease of growth and their joy for pollinators like butterflies. Indiana itself honors this splendid bloom as its state flower.

Might you not be tempted to plant some seeds this season?

Let Johann Zinn’s legacy remind us that even brief lives can yield the most lasting blossoms—and to keep our eyes open for the unexpected beauty in the overlooked.

So, dear reader, as you stroll among your garden beds, ask yourself: What overlooked treasures might be blooming, awaiting their own transformation, much like the Zinnia did under Johann’s gentle care?