Narrowleaf zinnia

Sun

Full sun; flowering is best with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then when the upper soil dries. Established plants tolerate short dry spells, but containers need more frequent watering.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, loamy or gritty soil; average fertility is sufficient. Avoid ground that stays wet.

Height

0.5-1.5 ft (0.15-0.45 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Summer to the first frost; usually orange in the species, with yellow and white forms also available.

Foliage

Narrow, pointed green leaves arranged in opposite pairs on branching, slightly hairy stems.

Growth

Fast; reaches flowering size in one growing season.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Disease resistant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1 ft (0.3 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant out only after frost risk has passed and the soil has warmed.
• Space plants about 1 ft (0.3 m) apart to allow air movement.
• Water at soil level rather than repeatedly wetting the leaves.
• Use a light mulch to reduce weeds, keeping it away from the stems.
• Feed container plants lightly with a balanced fertiliser according to the label; avoid heavy feeding in beds.

Pruning. Pinch young shoot tips once if you want denser branching, though this is usually unnecessary. Remove spent flowers to tidy the plants; routine deadheading is not essential for continued flowering.

Early spring

Sow indoors about 4-6 weeks before your last expected frost, using individual modules to limit root disturbance.

Late spring

Harden off seedlings and plant out after frost, or sow directly into warm, prepared soil.

Early summer

Thin seedlings to about 1 ft (0.3 m) apart and water regularly until established.

Summer

Check containers frequently for dry compost and remove damaged or diseased growth.

Early autumn

Let a few flower heads dry on the plant if you want to collect seed.

Late autumn

Remove plants after frost kills them; compost healthy material and discard diseased remains.

• Edge sunny paths and borders with a low ribbon of summer colour.
• Plant in groups in hot borders alongside salvias and ornamental grasses.
• Use in sunny containers with trailing verbena for contrasting flower shapes.
• Fill seasonal gaps at the front of a pollinator border.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Pollinator garden, Low-maintenance, Hot border, Small-space and Mexican hacienda.

Plant it with: Mealycup sage, Globe amaranth, French marigold, Moss rose, Verbena and Purple fountain grass.

Wildlife: The open flower heads provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other visiting insects. Single-flowered forms offer easier access than densely double flowers.

• Powdery mildew: less common than on many zinnias, but possible in crowded planting; improve spacing, water at soil level and remove badly affected leaves.
• Leaf spots: avoid overhead watering and handling wet plants; remove infected foliage and clear affected debris at season's end.
• Slugs and snails: protect young seedlings with barriers or locally approved iron-based slug bait used according to the label.
• Root rot or collapse in wet soil: improve drainage, let the surface dry between waterings and use containers with unobstructed drainage holes.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No part is recognised as poisonous, but it is an ornamental plant rather than a food crop.

• Common zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

  Usually has much broader leaves and larger flower heads, often on taller, more upright stems; many cultivars have densely double flowers.

• Creeping zinnia (Sanvitalia procumbens)

  Forms a lower, trailing mat with broader oval leaves and small yellow flowers that usually have conspicuous dark centres. The shared common name can cause confusion.

Zinnia honours the German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn, while angustifolia means narrow-leaved.

Propagation. Grow from seed, either sown indoors shortly before the last frost or directly outdoors once the soil is warm. Sow shallowly and keep evenly moist until germination. Seed saved from named cultivars may not produce plants identical to the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Zinnia angustifolia

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Mexico Central, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest and Mexico Southwest.

Measured

Average height 21 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.