How To Plant And Grow Zinnias - Gardener's Path

Zinnia spp.

With magnificently colorful blooms that put on a dazzling display all summer long, it is no wonder zinnias are such popular flowers.

What’s more, these show-stopping annuals are incredibly easy to grow.

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Continue on to learn how to grow and care for zinnias, and wow all of your neighbors – with barely any effort!

What You’ll Learn

Quick Look

Propagation

How to Grow

Cultivars to Select

Maintenance

Pests and Disease

Best Uses

Zinnia is a genus of flowering annuals in the aster family, Asteraceae, that can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 10.

They feature erect stems with bright solitary flower heads that produce large impressive blooms throughout the summer, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Quick Look

Common name(s): Zinnias

Plant type: Annual flower

Hardiness (USDA Zone): 3-10

Native to: Mexico

Bloom time: Mid to late summer

Exposure: Full sun

Soil type: Any that’s well draining

Soil pH: 5.5-7.5, acidic to slightly alkaline

Time to maturity: 60-70 days

Spacing: 6-18 inches, depending on variety

Planting depth: 1/4 inch (seeds)

Height: Up to 4 feet (standard), 6-12 inches (dwarf)

Spread: 1-2 feet

Water Needs: Moderate

Taxonomy

Order: Asterales

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Zinnia

Species: Angustifolia, elegans, haageana

Cultivars: various including crosses

While more than 20 known species exist in the wild, there are only a few species commonly available commercially, and these have been bred into hundreds of cultivars with flowers of many different forms.