Deciduous. Flowering. Deer Resistant. Attracts Butterflies. Full Sun. Low Water. Zinnias easy to grow from seed and can even be planted into summer, blooming all the way up to December. After June’s rains Zinnias (Zinnia elegans) have been popping up out of sidewalk and asphalt cracks, much to the delight of neighborhood butterflies. Although August isn’t typically zinnia’s showiest month, they’ll normally recover in fall. Deadheading the spent flowers can prolong the bloom. Also, avoid watering from overhead to prevent mildew on the leaves.

Full hot sun; an annual with dahlia-like flowers in warm shades of yellow, orange, pink and white. Mildew affects many zinnias in humid summer weather. ‘Dreamland’ is considered somewhat resistant, but give it plentiful air circulation (18′ spacing) and avoid wetting the leaves. ‘Profusion’ is more xeric, and often used as a bedding plant. Zinnias are native to the southwest U.S. and Mexico. There are a few native to Texas, but they aren’t available commercially.