Flower profile
Desert zinnia
Zinnia acerosa
Desert zinnia is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arizona it's most often seen in bloom in March–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arizona
Quick look
Zinnia acerosa is a low-growing perennial flowering plant native to the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. Common names include desert zinnia, wild zinnia, white zinnia, and spinyleaf zinnia. It is a popular landscape plant in the southwest due to its low water use and long bloom period. The flowers also serve as a food source for southwestern butterflies.
- 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 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Arizona. NatureServe
- In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,494 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #62 among the 109 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist
Desert zinnia gift ideas
Handmade desert zinnia gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Desert zinnia art print
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Desert zinnia greeting card
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Desert zinnia mug
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Desert zinnia earrings
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Desert zinnia embroidery pattern
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Desert zinnia sticker
When does it bloom?
In Arizona, most flowering sightings come in March–December.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Arizona
- Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
- 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 desert zinnia in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah.
Arizona counties with USDA records: Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai.
More Arizona flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ZIAC.
- iNaturalist, Zinnia acerosa: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Zinnia acerosa (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Arizona: Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025).
- Arizona: Arizona prohibited noxious weeds (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-4-245).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Zinnia acerosa (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Isaac Ethington via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.