The Companion Plant You Should Avoid Putting Next To Zinnias

If you garden regularly, you've likely heard of companion planting. It's a great way to pair plants together so that both species benefit and thrive. It can also result in stunning gardens full of color and diversity. While zinnias are common companion plants for a wide variety of other species, there are some plants that just aren't good matches for them. One of the worst plants to try to pair with your zinnias in the garden is astilbe.

While zinnias and astilbe may look beautiful together in a bouquet, as both can make excellent cut flowers, these two plants' needs in the garden couldn't be more different. Trying to grow them together is sure to result in disappointment, as at least one of the plants will suffer. While zinnias thrive in full sun and are relatively drought tolerant, astilbe is instead a shade-loving plant that benefits from moist soil.

Astilbe, a perennial that thrives in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9, is perfect for bringing plumes of color to gardens in full to part shade. Instead of trying to force it to coexist in a garden with zinnias, instead embrace its love of lower lighting and fertile soil and add it to a flourishing shade garden, where it can pair nicely with garden classics like hostas, ferns, and heucheras. 

But just because they don't thrive alongside astilbe doesn't mean your zinnias have to be lonely in the garden. There are a variety of vegetables, flowers, and herbs perfect for growing near zinnias. With their love of full sun, zinnias are perfect for growing alongside cosmos, which thrive in similar settings. And together, the two plants can make a stunning annual cutting garden. 

Shorter zinnia cultivars, like those in the 'Profusion' series, are ideal for adding to containers or popping into the front of sunny flower beds. Alternatively, zinnias can be grown alongside your veggies to help attract more pollinators, potentially giving you a bigger harvest.