Zinnias are popular annual flowers known for their vibrant colors and long blooming season. They are exceptional pollinator magnets, providing a reliable source of sustenance from mid-summer until the first frost. The plant’s structure and abundant nectar content appeal specifically to various wildlife.
Primary Pollinators: Butterflies and Bees
Zinnias are top choices for attracting butterflies due to their distinct physical characteristics. The bloom’s large, broad, and relatively flat petals create an ideal landing platform for larger insects like the Monarch and Swallowtail species. Butterflies can comfortably perch while extending their proboscis to reach the easily accessible nectar.
These blooms are equally attractive to a wide variety of bees, including honeybees, bumblebees, and numerous species of solitary bees. Bees seek out the nectar and nutrient-rich pollen found within the central disk florets of the flower head. While some highly hybridized, double-flowered zinnias can make access difficult, single-petaled varieties offer an unobstructed path to this reward, and some cultivars, like ‘Lilliput,’ are known to attract a significantly higher number of butterflies.
Other Beneficial Visitors: Hummingbirds and Beneficial Insects
Although hummingbirds are typically associated with long, tubular flowers, they are still frequent visitors to zinnias, drawn by the bright colors and abundant nectar. Warmer shades, particularly red, pink, and orange, are most appealing to these hyperactive birds. Despite the zinnia’s open, daisy-like shape, the high nectar output makes it a worthy energy source. Tall varieties with single or semi-double petals are particularly effective, as the open structure allows the birds to hover and feed easily.
The zinnia patch also supports a host of beneficial insects that help maintain a balanced garden ecosystem. These insects visit the flowers for pollen and nectar:
- Hoverflies are attracted to pollen and nectar, and their larvae consume garden pests like aphids.
- Tiny parasitic wasps visit for nectar but lay eggs on or inside common garden pests, helping control populations of destructive insects such as cabbage worms and tomato hornworms.
- Ladybugs are often found among zinnia foliage, where they prey on soft-bodied pests.
How Zinnia Characteristics Influence Attraction
The effectiveness of zinnias as a wildlife attractant is rooted in their specific visual and structural traits. The plant’s color palette, featuring brilliant reds, yellows, pinks, and oranges, is highly visible to both insects and birds. Hummingbirds are attracted to the red end of the spectrum, while bees are drawn to colors like yellow and blue, often guided by ultraviolet patterns invisible to the human eye. Planting a mix of these vibrant colors can maximize the diversity of visiting species.
Zinnias belong to the Asteraceae family, meaning their flower head is a composite of many tiny individual flowers. The wide, flat ray petals surrounding the center disk florets function as an open landing platform, which is critical for large butterflies that cannot hover effectively while feeding. The center of the bloom, known as the disk floret, is where the nectar and pollen are produced.
The degree of “doubleness” in a zinnia bloom is a major factor in its accessibility to many insects. Single-flowered varieties, which feature only one ring of ray petals, expose the nectar-producing disk florets clearly. Highly double-flowered types have multiple layers of petals that obscure the disk floret, making it difficult for most bees and smaller pollinators to reach the food source. Gardeners seeking to support the widest range of pollinators should prioritize varieties with visible yellow centers.