All flowers
Prairie Zinnia Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae

Prairie Zinnia

Zinnia grandiflora

Enduring friendship.

Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Zinnia
Native to
United States, Mexico
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
perennial
Height
4-8 in
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
dry, rocky, well-drained
Water
low
Hardiness
4-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Unlike garden zinnias which are annuals, prairie zinnia is a tough perennial that can survive on just 8 inches of annual rainfall.
  • It forms a dense, dome-shaped mound that looks like a tiny green cushion dotted with bright yellow flowers.
  • The papery flowers persist on the plant even after drying, maintaining their color for weeks in dried arrangements.
  • It naturally grows in the same harsh, dry habitats as cacti and yucca, often alongside them on rocky hillsides.
  • The Zuni people used a poultice of the plant to treat ant bites, giving it the folk name 'ant medicine.'

Color meanings

0

lasting affection

1

remembrance of absent friends

2

daily joy

Uses

  • xeriscaping
  • rock gardens
  • ground cover
  • dried flower arrangements