Those are beautiful pictures, Christie - your zinnias are always the prettiest ones! I love the Scarlet Flame and the Zowie - I may have been the one who recommended Yowie Zowie, because it was real popular with the butterflies the year I had it. As long as your zinnias have those yellow thingies in the center, they'll be butterfly friendly.
I bought three un-named zinnia plants this past spring that made red flowers - in the heat of summer, the blooms are orange. They've only grown to be about 2' tall, and they spill over the bed they're planted in, so they're probably one of the mounding types. They're especially popular with the gulf and variegated frits, common checkered skippers, and various other skippers.
I didn't plant Mexican sunflowers this year, which look like another type of zinnia to me, because I used their space for the mounding zinnias. This picture of them was taken in spring, when the blooms were more red than orange, and before they grew so thick -
{{gwi:460925}}
Looking at this variegated fritillary reminds me of the one that's been visiting the garden for the past several days. She's been going through the motions of egg-laying on the violets - the passionvines are full of gulf frits. I say she's been going through the motions, because I went right behind her and couldn't find an egg! Maybe she's just practicing! :/
Sherry

Thanks Sherry - Yes it probably was you that posted a pic of Zowie last year. We've had a awful summer, way too many days over 100 and very little rain and those seem to be taking it the best. I think they would look even better if we had normal weather.

Your photo reminds me of the pics I've seen of Zahara Fire. There's also a Double Zahara Fire. I almost ordered the single one this spring.

The butterflies LOVE the Zowie Yellow Flame zinnias in my garden, too! They're probably the most active flowers in my garden. I've seen Monarchs, Tiger Swallowtails, Buckeyes, and Cabbage Whites on them, and I'm sure moths visit them at night.

{{gwi:524649}}

{{gwi:524650}}

{{gwi:524652}}

{{gwi:524653}}

{{gwi:524654}}

They produce a lot of flowers per plant. Next year I plan on planting a lot more of these, over a larger area. I'll be planting many more annuals next year, so I'm writing down Scarlet Flame to remember for next year, too! They look like such a nice flower. I agree with Sherry, those are beautiful pictures! I especially like the one with the Great Spangled Frit. They're my favorite butterfly.

Wow. Those are some awesome looking pictures y'all. I have a big Zinnia bed, and it has been a struggle to keep it alive with our drought. I have Zowie Yellow, Scarlet Flame, State Fair, and Cut N Come Again in the bed, and I am seeing hardly any large butterflies on my Zinnias. The Skippers are all over them and the Hummingbirds love them. I wonder why the large butterflies don't seem to come to them. If there is a large butterfly in my yard, it is almost bound to be nectaring on a Butterfly Bush. I do have 12 Butterfly Bushes in my yard, so maybe they just prefer them to the Zinnias?

I see just the opposite in my yard Bandjzmom. I have two butterfly bushes, both 'Pink Delight' and I occasionally see a Swallowtail or Monarch on them but mostly Buckeyes (lots of Buckeyes). I'm having better luck with my zinnias since I started planting bigger blocks of color instead of mixing them and scattering them around, but it might just be a coincidence. I wonder if I planted a large grouping of butterfly bushes whether the swallowtails would leave the zinnias and go to those instead. The two I have are not planted close together.

great pictures everyone! our zinnias have been very popular since July:

zowie yellow flame gets the most action, with california giant a close 2nd. whirligigs and pink zinnias popular too!

profusion fire gets a few visitors

purple prince get some visitors but usually left alone

persian carpet was a dud(didn't bloom well either), but could have been because it was in a shadier spot than the rest.

peppermint stick was pretty much ignored with it's double blossoms. Hard to get at the nectar. bees liked it though...