Flower profile
Rocky Mountain zinnia
Zinnia grandiflora
Rocky Mountain zinnia (Zinnia grandiflora) is a low shrub in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–September across the U.S.
Rocky Mountain zinnia is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In New Mexico it's most often seen in bloom in May–September.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: New Mexico
Quick look
Zinnia grandiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names Rocky Mountain zinnia and plains zinnia. It produces a subshrub with yellow-orange flowers.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 6 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico. NatureServe
- In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–September. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,202 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #33 among the 152 flowers on our New Mexico list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In New Mexico, most flowering sightings come in May–September.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- New Mexico
- Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
ASPCA's entry “Zinnia” (Zinnia species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records Rocky Mountain zinnia in 6 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.
New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Catron, Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, De Baca, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Guadalupe, Harding, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Quay, Roosevelt, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance, Union, Valencia.
Names, range and relatives
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Crassina grandiflora.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 141 counties across 6 states; the most are in Texas (66), New Mexico (29), Oklahoma (14).
Other Zinnia on Bloomipedia (1): Desert zinnia.
More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.
More New Mexico flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ZIGR.
- iNaturalist, Zinnia grandiflora: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Zinnia grandiflora (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
- New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Zinnia grandiflora (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: mark-groeneveld via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.