2018 Cook-Douglas Medal Winner

 The American Iris Society

Announces the

2018 Cook-Douglas Medal Winner

‘My Cher’

This medal is restricted to standard dwarf bearded (SDB) irises. It is named in honor of Paul Cook (1891-1963) and Geddes Douglas (1902-1993). Paul Cook's work with dwarf irises was truly pioneering. His early breeding of dwarf irises led to a series of I. arenaria hybrids. He was the first to use the true I. pumila in his breeding programs, and this resulted in the introduction of the first of the great stud irises in the standard dwarf class. Geddes Douglas was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1902. Douglas's historically most important hybridizing achievements were with dwarf irises. Working with stock from Paul Cook, Douglas's crosses of I pumila with tall bearded irises created the race of irises that came to be known as 'lilliputs.'

'My Cher'--image by Paul Black

'My Cher' (Paul Black, R. 2011) flowers in the midseason to late bloom. Standards mid brassy old gold, subtle grey white textured veins, base light grey violet, darker along midrib; style arms warm white, mid yellow crests, falls large white luminata patch blending to mid violet blue becoming darker toward edge, narrow brassy old gold blended band; beards orange in throat, light orange in middle, light orange yellow at ends, hairs based white, white dart at end of beard; slight spicy fragrance. 'Trust In Dreams' X 'Astro'.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day the other medal winners. The entire list of winners can be found at http://irises.org/About_Irises/Awards_Surveys/AIS_Awards.html, the AIS Encyclopedia and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES. Pictures can be found at http://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards2018.