# Types of Zinnia Flowers
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Zinnia Elegans
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Zinna Elegans, also known as the common zinnia, features the widest variety of plant heights, flower sizes and colors. This zinnia grows from 8 to 48 inches tall and has flowers from 1/2 inch to 5 inches in diameter. Blooms appear in every color except brown, black and true blue. Common zinnias need consistently moist, well-drained soil and regular deadheading to produce flowers throughout the growing season. Full sun and good air flow is also required in the planting site to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases like powdery mildew. Among the available cultivars are: Magellan, a 12-inch high zinnia with 4- to 5-inch-wide double blooms in coral, gold, ivory, pink, scarlet and orange; Envy, a 30-inch plant with green, semi-double 2-inch-wide flowers; and Oklahoma, a plant 30 to 40 inches high with semi-double 1- to 2-inch-wide flowers in salmon, pink, yellow, scarlet and white.
Zinnia Augustifolia
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Zinnia augustifolia is coveted for its garden resilience, particularly, its tolerance to extreme summer heat. Also known as the narrowleaf zinnia, this smaller zinnia grows between 8 to 15 inches high and offers fewer flower colors, primarily orange, cherry, gold, yellow, coral and white. The narrowleaf zinnia is resistant to powdery mildew and requires little deadheading or other types of maintenance to bloom frequently. While the narrowleaf offers growers fewer plant sizes and bloom colors to choose from, most of them are highly prized for their beauty and two narrowleaf cultivars, Crystal and Profusion, are All-American Selection winners.
Zinnia Haageana
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Zinnia haageana, or Haage's zinnia, is also a smaller zinnia type and, like its cousin the narrowleaf, is equally resistant to disease. Haage's zinnia does, however, require some deadheading to keep the plants flowering throughout the summer. Typically, only one cultivar is available, Persian Carpet, which grows up to 16 inches tall and has 2-inch-wide flowers in mahogany red and gold bicolors.
Zinnia Tenuifolia
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Zinnia Tenuifola, or red spider zinnia, has petite 1-inch flowers with dark centers and slender, set-apart red petals that curve like spider legs. A very robust zinnia type, the red spider zinnia grows from 18 to 24 inches high and flowers profusely during the growing season.
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