Zinnias are a good choice if you are looking to attract butterflies to your garden. As well as being easy to grow they are super popular with butterflies because of how colorful they are and the nectar they provide.
But there are a lots of zinnias and some are better for bringing in butterflies than others. So which do you choose?
Well I’ll take you through the top seven zinnias that will bring butterflies to your garden along with tips for growing them and some tricks to keep them at their best.
1. Benary’s Giant Zinnias
Why They’re Great for Butterflies:
Benary’s Giant Zinnias are tall (up to 4 feet!) with large flowers that are similar to dahlias. They come in a wide range of colors, from pinks to red and orange, all of which butterlies love.
They’re big enough so that butterflies can land on them without any problems and they have lots of nectar that the likes of like Monarchs and Swallowtail butterflies love.
Growing Tips:
- Location: Full sun is essential to get them to grow their best.
- Watering: The soil should be moist but not soggy. If you water too much it can result in mildew.
- Soil: Fertile soil that drains well is preferred.
- Spacing: Plant them about 12 to 18 inches apart so the fair flows well between each flower.
These zinnias are also wonderful cut flowers so you can have a lovely display in a vase as well as providing for the butterflies.
2. Oklahoma Zinnias
Why They’re Great for Butterflies:
Oklahoma Zinnias are medium sized and grow to around 2 to 3 feet tall. They have small flowers but they are full of nectar.
They come in a mix of colors but the bright pinks, reds and oranges are the ones butterflies really love.
Growing Tips:
- Location: Full sun is best as Oklahoma zinnias do well in bright spots.
- Watering: They need moderate watering. So don’t let them dry out but they can also deal with less water than most other zinnias.
- Soil: well draining is important. Add some compost to help improve the drainage and they’ll do even better.
Oklahoma zinnias are a great choice if you have a smaller garden. Or if you want to plant them pots.
3. Zowie! Yellow Flame Zinnias
Why They’re Great for Butterflies:
Zowie! Yellow Flame zinnias are fantastic for butterflies. A lot of that is down to their color – orange and yellow – but they also look wonderful in any garden.
Growing Tips:
- Location: Full sun is best for them but they don’t mind a little bit of light shade.
- Watering: They like being watered regularly especially when it’s hot.
- Soil: Soil that drains well. Add some compost to keep them extra happy.
Zowie! zinnias also make great cut flowers. So you can enjoy them indoors as well as leaving lots outside for the butterflies to get the nectar from.
4. Lilliput Zinnias
Why They’re Great for Butterflies:
Even though they’re fairly small (about 12 to 18 inches tall) Lilliput Zinnias still attract lots of butterflies. They have flowers that look like pom poms and are easy to get nectar from.
Plus they come in a lots colors like reds, pinks and oranges that the butterflies are drawn to.
Growing Tips:
- Location: They do best in full sun.
- Watering: Keep the soil moist but don’t let it get waterlogged.
- Soil: They like soil that drains well and is fertile.
Lilliput zinnias are perfect for borders or filling in small spots of your garden. And they’ll still bring in butterflies even though they’re on the smaller side.
5. State Fair Zinnias
Why They’re Great for Butterflies:
State Fair Zinnias flowers can get up to 5 inches in diameter and grow up to 4 feet tall. They have lots of nectar and room for butterflies to land.
Growing Tips:
- Location: Plant them somewhere sunny that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
- Watering: They need consistent moisture but you need to make sure they don’t sit in water either.
- Soil: Well drained soil and compost added will make sure they grow as best as they can.
State Fair Zinnias are popular because of how big their flowers are. They are liked by humans just as much as butterflies love them.
6. Profusion Zinnias
Why They’re Great for Butterflies:
Profusion Zinnias have compact flowers that last a long time. They can get up to about 12 to 18 inches in height and spread out nicely.
They’re flowers come in reds to orange and pinks which are great for drawing the butterflies in.
Growing Tips:
- Location: Full sun to partial shade.
- Watering: Water them well but don’t get the leaves wet as mildew can grow.
- Soil: Well draining soil that is fairly fertile.
Profusion Zinnias are tough and strong especially against disease. This is helpful because it means you don’t have to spend too much time looking after them.
7. Cut and Come Again Zinnias
Why They’re Great for Butterflies:
True to their name Cut and Come Again Zinnias keep producing flowers even when you’ve snipped them off (for bouquets). The fact that they have such a regular supply of flowers is what attracts the butterflies.
Growing Tips:
- Location: They love the sun and won’t do well in shade.
- Watering: Water them regularly but make sure the soil doesn’t get soggy and drains well.
- Soil: They like soil that has a lot of organic matter so if you can add some compost to it as it will give them a boost.
The more you cut them the more flowers you’ll get. So keep going and the butterflies in your garden will have a supply of nectar virtually all year round.
Butterfly Gardening Tips for Zinnias
Location & Sunlight
Zinnias need full sun to really do well and produce the flowers that have so much nectar the butterflies love. The more sun they get the better those flowers will be and that is how you get more and more butterflies
Watering & Soil
Keep the soil moist but without out letting it get waterlogged. Soul that drains well is a big deal for zinnias, and as has been mentioned, adding compost to the soil really helps. Don’t let them dry out either, especially in the heat of summer.
Spacing & Airflow
So you don’t get things like powdery mildew make sure your zinnias have enough space so that the air flows properly around them. If they grow taller than 18 inches plant them apart from one another. The smaller varieties can be planted closer together.
Deadheading
Remove the some flowers on a regular basis as it will encourage more to grow. It makes the zinnias tidier but also means you’re constantly bringing in butterflies because of always having flowers.
Making the right choice of zinnias is a big part of attracting butterflies. But so is giving them proper care.
So as long as you treat them right and look after them the right way your garden will have many butterflies for the entire season.
