Creeping zinnia is a low-growing annual that brings the cheerful energy of sunflowers to garden edges and containers, spreading across 9 to 18 inches while staying just 3 to 6 inches tall. From seed to bloom in about 70 days, it produces miniature sunflower-like flowers with yellow to orange-yellow petals and distinctive dark purplish-brown centers from June through frost. Hardy in zones 2 through 11, this heat-loving heirloom thrives in lean, dry soil where many plants struggle, making it an unusually tough and forgiving annual that asks little but delivers consistently.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
6in H x 18in W
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High
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Those dark chocolate centers surrounded by bright yellow rays create a graphic pop that few annuals can match at this low height. The creeping, mat-forming habit spreads wide without climbing, making it naturally suited to spilling over container edges or tucking into gaps in dry gardens. Because it blooms prolifically from early summer until the first hard frost, you get months of color from a single sowing without deadheading or fussy care. Heat and drought are not obstacles here; they're where this plant genuinely thrives, unfazed by the humidity and dry spells that exhaust more temperamental annuals.
Creeping zinnia shines as a low annual ground cover in beds and borders, especially where you want continuous color without constant attention. Its spreading habit and compact height make it excellent for edging pathways, spilling from container gardens, and filling dry, sunny gaps where traditional annuals falter. The long bloom season and prolific flowers attract pollinators throughout the growing season, adding life to vegetable gardens and pollinator plantings.
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Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date, keeping soil at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Germination typically occurs within 5 to 10 days. Note that plants started indoors often do not transplant well into garden soil, so starting seed directly in hanging baskets or containers avoids root disturbance.
If starting indoors in pots, transplant outdoors after the last frost date has passed. Space plants 8 inches apart to accommodate their spreading growth.
Direct sow seed in the garden 1 to 2 weeks before your last frost date, or wait until after the last frost if you prefer safer timing. Direct sowing often produces stronger, more resilient plants than transplanting.
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