The scan below is taken from Burpee's 1937 catalog. Zinnia 'Fantasy Mixed' was introduced in 1935 by the Bodger Seed Co. and won a silver medal in the 1935 All-America Selections. They were considered a breakthrough in form, a variation on the relatively new cactus form. The bloom size was 3- 3.5 inches and the petals were extremely rolled and twisted. The last time they appear in my old catalogs is in the the mid 1970's. From all accounts the strain is extinct.
Pictured below is a bloom that I found yesterday while cutting a few blooms to bring to my mothers. They look remarkably similar, don't they and the bloom size measured just over 3 inches. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one.
Yes, Ed, the two flowers do look amazingly similar. Are you going to collect the seed? How neat!
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