11 Zinnia Companion Plants: Plants That Look and Grow Well With Zinnias

Zinnia companion plants include plants that look good with your Zinnias and promote better growth. Zinnias of the Asteraceae family are easily full sun-lovers, are pretty low-maintenance plants, and can easily be grown through Zinnia seeds, so plants with the same growing needs look beautiful with them. 

To help the Zinnia genus plants grow in a better way is going to be our main focus in this guide. After looking at these companion plants, you can easily decide what not to plant with Zinnia. 

11 Zinnia Companion Plants

Zinnia companion plants are flowering plants that look good and grow well with Zinnias. Our plant combinations guide is all you are going to need and will save you from the hassle of worrying about a planting chart or companion planting chart for additional information. 

1. China Aster

It is an annual native to China and belongs to the Asteraceae family. It has simple leaves and its flowers come in beautiful colors of blue, purple, pink, red, and white, with a bright yellow center.

Each flower blooms on a single stem instead of clusters. It makes a great pairing plant to Zinnia because of its vibrant flowers.

– Growing Season

The best season for sowing the plant is six to eight weeks prior to the spring frost. It takes two to three months for the plant to fully mature, reach a height between 1 to 3 feet, and spread up to 1 to 2 feet. 

– Specific Needs

Sow the seeds in a tray and let them sit indoors by the windowsill in spring, or they can even be sown directly outside in mid-May. Furthermore, the plant prefers to live in well-drained, loamy soil, thrives in full to partial sun, and has moderate watering needs.

2. Cosmos

Are annual plants belong to the Asteraceae family and are native to Mexico and South America. The long and slender stems bear colorful flowers on top that attract beneficial insects, like butterflies, to gardens.

Furthermore, they have antifungal properties that the neighboring plants can benefit from. Cosmos companion plants, like Marigolds, grow well with Zinnias too. 

– Growing Season

The best growing time for Cosmos is after the frost has passed. The plant blooms from summer through fall. It takes one to three weeks for the seeds to germinate; within two months, you will see vibrant flowers blooming. 

– Specific Needs

Read on if you’re wondering how to plant Zinnias and the cosmos together. The simple and quickest way of planting cosmos near your Zinnias is through seeds. Cosmos thrive in full sun, well-draining, slightly acidic soil and require watering till fully mature. 

3. Basil

Basil is an annual and belongs to the mint family. It is native to central Africa and Southeast Asia.

Its strong scent helps in repelling harmful pests. Furthermore, it has antifungal properties that help fight fungi in plants and humans, making it a great aromatic herb addition to your Zinnia and vegetable gardens. 

– Growing Season

The best time to plant basil is two weeks after the fall frost. It can also be planted in summer. Basil grows very quickly. It is a matter of three to four weeks before you have a fully mature plant. 

– Specific Needs

Propagating basil through cuttings takes half as much time as it would take you to propagate through seeds. Place your cuttings in water with leaves above the water level. Basil likes to grow in full sun but would prefer some shade during extremely hot climates. The soil must have an acidic to alkaline pH and be rich in organic matter.

4. Marigold

Marigolds are cheerful annuals and belong to the Asteraceae family. They are native to Southern North America and have fern-like foliage and warm-colored flowers. Types of marigolds, like French marigold, can be used for a bit of change in the flower colors. 

Can you plant Zinnias and marigolds together? Yes, you most certainly can! Zinnias and marigolds are similar-looking but different species, plants that can be planted together in a cut flowers garden. 

– Growing Season

The best season to grow marigolds is spring, right after the last frost. The plants bloom in summer. Marigolds grow quickly, sprouting within a matter of days and blooming in just a few weeks. They can grow up to 48 inches tall and 24 inches wide once they mature. 

– Specific Needs

The easiest way to propagate marigolds is through seeds. Marigolds love to grow in full sun, moist, and well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. They need moist soil for the first few weeks after planting to grow a strong root system, but once established, watering once a week is enough. 

5. Cucumber

Cucumbers are annuals and belong to the family Cucurbitaceae. They are native to South Asia and are a great addition to your vegetable garden because of their numerous health benefits and attractive vines.

Furthermore, these Zinnia companion vegetable plants do not take up much space, nutrients, or water. 

– Growing Season

Plant cucumbers between September and January in a moderate climate, but if the climate is cold, plant them between October and December.

Cucumbers have a fast growth rate and are ready to be harvested within 50 to 70 days of planting. 

– Specific Needs

Cucumbers are best propagated through seeds. Sow the seeds indoors for three weeks before planning to them outdoors. Full-sun lovers prefer loose, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH. They have moderate watering needs, about 1 inch per week.

6. Purple Fountain Grass

Fountain grass is a perennial ornamental grass, belongs to the family of Poaceae, and is native to Africa and Southern Asia.

The purple fountain gets its name because of its ascending spikes bearing purple flowers and burgundy-colored leaves, and it adds visual interest to your space when planted with Zinnia.

– Growing Season

It is best planted in spring, and its bloom time starts in summer and lasts till the arrival of fall. Ornamental grass has a fast growth rate.

It can reach a height of 5 feet and a width of 4 feet once the plant reaches maturity.

– Specific Needs

The easiest way of propagating the plant is through root division. All you need to do is dig the plant when it is inactive, cut it into two or more sections containing healthy roots and leaves, and replant instantly in well-drained, moist soil and full sun. 

7. Cleome

Cleomes are annuals that belong to the Cleomaceae family and are native to South America. The plants bear bell-shaped flowers in white, pink, and purple that are mostly used as background.

So, if you are confused about what to plant next to your Zinnias, cleome is a great choice for giving the dwarf Zinnias a bit more personality. Cleome companion plants, like echinacea, can also be added to the combination to make your space more attractive. 

– Growing Season

Plant cleomes in spring after the risk of fall frost has passed. They bloom flowers around summertime. The seedlings begin to emerge within two to three weeks of planting. They can easily reach a height of 5 feet and a width of 2 feet once the plants mature. 

– Specific Needs

Cleomes propagate best through seeds. They self-seed, which means you only have to sprinkle them in the garden. Furthermore, they prefer to grow in well-drained soil with an acidic to neutral pH and full to partial sun. Furthermore, adding a 3-inch layer of mulch will save you from watering it regularly.

8. Goldenrod 

Goldenrods are herbaceous perennials that belong to the Asteraceae family and are native to North America. These plants have spiky leaves that grow alternately around stems.

They attract butterflies and other pollinators, making them a good Zinnia neighbor. Goldenrod companion plants, like sunflowers, can also be added to the combination to increase the number of flowers in your Zinnias.

– Growing Season

The best thing about goldenrods is that they can be planted all around the year at any time. But the best season to plant them is late summer and early fall.

Goldenrods have a fast growth rate. They mature within a couple of months and can be as tall as 5 feet and as wide as 3 feet. 

– Specific Needs 

Goldenrods prefer full sun but can also tolerate partial shade conditions. They can sustain themselves in average to infertile, well-drained soil. The plants can be propagated easily through root division.

9. Allium

Alliums are ornamental onion plants native to the Middle East. They make good companions to Zinnia because they provide a voluminous effect to the dwarf species.

Allium companion plants, like Iris, can be used alongside for a touch of color. 

– Growing Season

The best growing season for Alliums is fall, after which they bloom in spring. Alliums have a moderate growth rate. As they mature, they can reach a height of up to 4 feet and 10 inches in width.

– Specific Needs

The easiest way to propagate alliums is through ripe seeds. Sprinkle the seeds in a tray, cover them with some grit, and place the tray outside in a shade till they sprout. 

Alliums are sun-lovers and can survive in all but well-drained types of soil. They have very little watering needs; one good rainfall is sufficient for a long time. 

10. Pansy

Pansies are short-season perennials grown as annuals, belong to the Violaceae family, and are native to Europe and Asia.

The plant makes a great pair with Zinnia because of its visually pleasant white, yellow, purple, and blue flowers and can also be used for ground cover purposes. Like cosmos, mutual Zinnia and pansy companion plants can be added for an extra pop of color.

– Growing Season

Pansies are cool-weather plants and must be planted by march or April. With a fast growth rate, these perennials can attain a height of 8 inches and a width of 6 inches. 

– Specific Needs

Pansies can be easily grown from seeds. All you need to do is sow the seeds between February and April, and you will have your plant blooming between spring to autumn. The plant grows in full to partial sun and well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Pansies do not have high watering needs as they can only survive one season. 

11. Penstemon

Penstemons are herbaceous perennials that belong to the Plantaginaceae family and are native to North America. The plants are characterized by lance-shaped foliage and tubular pink, red, white, and purple flowers. 

They look beautiful when planted next to Zinnia because of their unique tubular shape. Penstemon companion plants, like salvia, can also be added to the pair to create a more striking effect. 

– Growing Season

Penstemons are planted in spring and bloom around summertime. The plants have a slow growth rate, but once fully mature, they can be as tall as 8 feet and as wide as 20 inches.

– Specific Needs

Since these are short-lived perennials, propagating them through seeds is the best option. Penstemons grow best in full sun and well-drained soil. The plants are drought-tolerant once they fully establish, but watering them once a week will help them bloom better. 

Conclusion

Zinnia’s many benefits in the garden can be multiplied with the right companion planting. Whichever companion plant you choose, always remember the following points from the article above.

• Consider alliums if you are looking for an airy and light plant.
• Cucumbers are great neighboring plants that will not soak up all the soil’s nutrients and water. 
• To amp up your space with colors, plant Zinnias with marigolds. 
• Cosmos is a great way of attracting pollinators to your garden. 

These plants bring out the best in Zinnias while being low-maintenance. After knowing the properties of these plants, which one would you like to go with?

References

• Pulok K Mukherjee, Neelesh K Nema, Niladri Maity, Birendra K Sarkar. (2012 Oct 23). Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of cucumber. PubMed.
  Retrieved from  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23098877/
• Patricia Leslie. (2005). Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus Mexican aster, garden cosmos. Flower Essence Society.
  Retrieved from https://www.flowersociety.org/cosmos-plant-study.htm