The present invention relates to intergeneric hybrid plants of Zinnia elegans and Tagetes erecta and methods for making the same. The invention further relates to methods for producing intergeneric hybrid plants of Z. elegans and T. erecta containing in their genetic material one or more transgenes and the intergeneric hybrid plants produced by that method. The invention also relates to transferring desirable characteristics from one genera to the other, as well as creation of new unique characteristics not found in either of the parent genera alone. The invention further relates to methods for producing intergeneric hybrid plants of Z. elegans and T. erecta derived from intergeneric hybrid plants of Z. elegans and T. erecta and to the plants produced by the method.