A Guide to the Different Types of Zinnias

What Are the Different Types of Zinnia Flowers?

Zinnias are truly marvelous flowers, spectacularly colorful annuals that are incredibly easy to grow.

And they come in a dizzying array of colors, shapes, and styles that the butterflies will love nearly as much as you do!

Not sure where to begin, or how to decide which ones to select? Read on for our guide to choosing between different zinnia species and bloom types.

There are over 20 zinnia species in the wild. Only a few of these species are commonly grown in gardens, though due to the incredible popularity of these flowers, they have been bred into hundreds of different cultivars and hybrids.

This means you can find a zinnia in pretty much any color scheme you desire, with different patterns, shapes, and sizes ranging from a few inches to several feet tall.

Want to learn more about growing these magnificent annuals? Check out our full guide to growing zinnias.

The majority of cultivars originate from the speciesZinnia elegans. Native to Mexico, the wild plant produces single flower heads about two inches in length, with purple petals surrounding black and yellow central discs.

The true species is not easy to find, however, since it has interbred with escaped cultivated varieties that have naturalized around the world.

Other cultivated varieties originate from the narrow leafed zinnia, Z. angustifolia. It has single white, yellow, and orange flowers that are a bit smaller in size, an inch or two across, on plants eight to 18 inches tall.

This species is fairly heat and drought resistant, so it’s a good option if you are gardening in a warm climate, or in locations that tend to retain heat like planting areas along city sidewalks.

Z. haageana, also