# Zinnias (*Zinnia*) Zinnias are bright and cheerful flowers that come in many colors like red, pink, yellow, and orange. They are easy to grow and attract butterflies, making gardens look beautiful and lively! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens - **Also known as:** Zinnia, Zinnia Flower, Zinnia Plant ![Zinnias](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424791/objects/3789.jpg) ## Appearance The Zinnia has incredibly vibrant, often multi-petaled flowers that come in nearly every color imaginable, from fiery reds to brilliant purples. Its blossoms can be daisy-like, pom-pom shaped, or resemble dahlias, sitting atop sturdy green stems with opposing leaves. This diversity makes it a standout in any garden. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Zinnia ## Interesting facts - These cheerful flowers are often used by artists and designers for their wide color palette. - They are a symbol of lasting affection, friendship, and remembrance. - Zinnias are named after Johann Gottfried Zinn, a German botanist who first described them! - Zinnias come in single, double, and semi-double petal forms, looking like many different flowers! ## Special abilities - **Flower Power Refuel:** Zinnias can rapidly produce new flowers if old ones are removed, helping them keep blooming and attract more pollinators all season long. - **Pollinator Beacon:** Zinnias have bright, diverse colors and nectar-rich centers that act like a visual target, drawing in many different insects to help with pollination. - **Sunny Survivor:** Zinnias have strong stems and drought-tolerant qualities, allowing them to thrive even in hot, sunny conditions where other plants might wilt. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-120 cm - **Spread:** 20-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-15 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to first frost - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Feeds on sweet nectar - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Gathers pollen and nectar - **Eats:** [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) — May nibble on young leaves ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before picking flowers, and be gentle with plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Zinnias? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Zinnias? 15-120 cm ### How wide does Zinnias spread? 20-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Zinnias? 2-15 cm ### When does Zinnias bloom? Summer to first frost ### Is Zinnias edible? Yes ### Is Zinnias toxic? None ### What is Zinnias's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Clarence H. Clark Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clarence-h-clark-park) — Pennsylvania, US · Park - [Optikpark Rathenow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/optikpark-rathenow) — Brandenburg, DE · Park - [Ibaraki Flower Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ibaraki-flower-park) — Ibaraki, JP · Park [View all places to see Zinnias](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/zinnias) ## Watch - [Play video: Zinnias](https://www.snappit.app/videos/zinnias) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ag0JpfdrUfA) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Zinnias: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/zinnias)