Skip to main content

Are zinnias perennials? It’s complicated

Your guide to zinnias

Orange and red zinnias
utroja0 / Pixabay

Zinnias are vibrant, colorful blooms that come in a dazzling array of colors. From cheerful yellow flowers to charming purple ones, you can find a zinnia variety to suit practically any aesthetic. It would be nice if they returned reliably year after year, but are zinnias perennials, or should you plan on replanting them? This guide will clear things up for you, so you can feel confident growing your zinnias.

Are zinnias perennials?

Red, yellow, and pink zinnias
Hans / Pixabay

No, most zinnias are not perennials. Zinnias are annual flowers that go to seed at the end of the growing season and don’t return the next year. However, there is a notable exception. Rocky mountain zinnias, also called wild zinnias or prairie zinnias, are actually perennials.

Recommended Videos

This zinnia species, Zinnia grandiflora, is native to the American Southwest. While it isn’t as common as Zinnia elegans, wild zinnia seeds can sometimes be found, and they do make lovely additions to drought-tolerant gardens. Unlike common zinnias, wild zinnias don’t come in many colors. They stay fairly short, growing in low hills or mounds with golden flowers.

Will zinnias reseed themselves?

Orange, yellow, and dark pink zinnas
PublicDomainPictures / Pixabay

Annual zinnias will reseed themselves if their flowers are left on the plant. You can prevent reseeding by clipping the flowers before they have a chance to drop their seeds, which is good news if you’re hoping to plant something else where your zinnias are. If you’d prefer to keep growing zinnias, all you have to do is leave the flowers where they are.

You can also collect the zinnia seeds from your plant to plant them yourself in the spring. Keep in mind that not all zinnias are true to seed, meaning the seeds may result in zinnias of different colors or sizes. If you have a specific aesthetic in mind, this could be frustrating, but some gardeners may enjoy the surprise.

What zones are zinnias hardy in?

Light pink and pale yellow zinnias
MrGajowy3 / Pixabay

Since they are annuals, zinnias are actually considered hardy in most of the U.S. Zinnias are hardy in USDA zones 2 to 11. This is because zones are determined by the lowest winter temperatures in an area, and zinnias typically die during winter regardless of the temperature. However, this is not the case for Zinnia grandiflora. Since they are perennials and will return provided the winter temperatures don’t kill them, they are considered hardy only in zones 9 to 11. While you can grow them as annuals farther north, they won’t return next year unless you bring them inside or grow them in a greenhouse.

Zinnias are gorgeous, colorful, and easy to grow. Now that you know that most, but not all, zinnias are annuals, you’re better prepared to grow and care for these delightful flowers. If you’re disappointed that zinnias aren’t perennials, don’t worry. They will self-seed if given the chance, so you might still see zinnias popping up in your garden, even without replanting them.

Topics
Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
Hickory trees: Everything you want to know about these hardwoods
Growing a gorgeous hickory tree
Hickory tree branches

Trees are incredible plants with many fantastic benefits. Their roots keep the soil from washing away, they provide food and shelter for people and animals, and they are particularly good at absorbing carbon dioxide. If you want to plant a tree in your yard for one or more of these benefits, one of your options is to plant a hickory tree. Hickory trees are lovely, they're fairly easy to grow, and there are several excellent species you can choose from. Here’s what you need to know to get started.
Why should you grow hickory trees?

Hickory trees offer the benefits that most trees do, such as preventing soil erosion and absorbing CO2, but there are a few additional benefits that are good to know. Hickory nuts are a great food source for wildlife during fall and winter, and you can eat them, too. Aside from bitternut hickory trees, which, true to their name, produce incredibly bitter nuts, hickory nuts are described as rich, sweet, and similar to pecans. This is actually because pecan trees are in the hickory family.

Read more
Are mums perennials? It’s complicated
Keep your mums alive through winter with these tips
A beautiful yellow chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums, or mums for short, are gorgeous flowers that are particularly popular in the fall. They can bloom in a wide array of colors, but every autumn store shelves fill up with mums blooming in shades of red, yellow, and orange. If you love mums, you might be wondering if you can grow them in your garden all year long and perhaps even year after year. Are mums perennials, or do you have to be content with replanting them every year? We have the answers so you can grow your mums with confidence.
Are mums perennials or annuals?

The reason the answer is a bit complicated is that mums are tender perennials, like dahlias. This means that they are perennials, but sensitivity to cold weather often prevents them from surviving the winter in more northern climates. Since they may not survive the winter to return, they are typically grown as annuals and replanted each year, or kept as a short-lived container plant for seasonal displays.

Read more
Is a pumpkin a gourd: We have answers to this burning question
Learn which of your seasonal fruits are gourds
A variety of squash types set on a black table

Pumpkins are a popular fall fruit used for everything from decoration to food. You may have also heard someone call them gourds, and some of their relatives, like squash, are gourds. If that left you scratching your head in confusion -- you aren’t alone. Plenty of people wonder, "Is a pumpkin a gourd?" We’re here to answer that question. We’ll explain what a gourd is, whether pumpkins are gourds, and talk about other fruits often called gourds, so you can go into your fall harvest feeling confident.
What is a gourd?

The word gourd can refer to two possible things. The first is any plant in the Cucurbitaceae family. Plants in this family can be called cucurbits or gourds, and the Cucurbitaceae family is sometimes called the gourd family. These plants have a few recognizable characteristics; namely vines and fruits with hard, thick skins or shells. The fruits themselves can also be called gourds. So, for example, you might call the plant Citrullus lanatus a gourd, or you could call the fruit itself (a watermelon) a gourd.

Read more