Zinnia are best described as ‘Tough as Nails’. As annuals go these are a top pick for novice gardeners, and a staple for experienced growers. With their heat and drought tolerance, plus deer and rabbit resistance, it’s easy to see why! These are highly attractive to pollinators and birds – including hummingbirds. Growing 12-18” they make wonderful cut flowers, plant in full sun.
Landscape Attributes
Zinnia is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition. This is a relatively low maintenance plant. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Zinnia is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Zinnia will grow to be about 14-18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 14 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.
Zinnia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers. It is often used as a ‘filler’ in the ‘spiller-thriller-filler’ container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Photo courtesy of Jolly Farmer New Brunswick
