IRISES: The Bulletin of the AIS - Spring 2026 Edition

By Andi Rivarola

A warm welcome to those who are seeing IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society for the first time. If you are a member of The American Iris Society I hope you enjoy this new issue.

The Spring 2026 issue of the AIS Bulletin is available online now, accessible via the Emembers section of the AIS website. The print copy is being mailed via the U.S. Post Office. 

On the cover, 'Azurite' (Sass-Plough, R. 1960, TB), at the Sass Memorial Iris Garden, photo by Linda Wilkie.

Note: to access this area of the website, you must have a current AIS Emembership. (AIS Emembership is separate from the normal AIS membership.) Please see the Electronic Membership Information are of the AIS website for more details. 

• 14 Getting Started with Louisiana Irises by Brian Shamblin 
• 18 The AIS Special Medals Series: The Hans and Jacob Sass Medal by Gary White 
• 23 Get Out and Vote! by Linda Wilkie 
• 24 Affiliate Advice: Increasing Attendance at Meetings by Claire Schneider 
• 26 What do you know about the Historic Iris Preservation Society by Suzanne Butler 
• 28 Spotlight on Hybridizers-The Next Generation The Rieniets Iris Adventure by Bryce Williamson 
• 34 2025 AIS Popularity Poll Results by Howie Dash 
• 41 Hybridizing Irises by Terry Aitken 
• 44 Blazek Solves Age-old Iris Mystery by Robert Pries 
• 48 The Gerald Richardson Award-Redefined! by Andi Rivarola 
• 51 Changelog 2025 for the Handbook for Judges and Show Officials, Edition 9.1 by Claire Schneider 52 Six FAQs Answered by AIS Judges Chair, Lorene Crone, Tennessee by Claire Schneider 
• 54 Paper Art Featuring Iris by Olga Batalov 
• 56 Still More Book Reviews For Your Reading Pleasure by Jim Morris 
• 64 Are the Irises in Your Garden Correctly Named and Does It Matter? by Harriet Robinson 
• 69 2026 AIS Foundation Ackerman Youth Essay Contest by Debbie Strauss

There's so much more on this issue in a total of 100 pages, filled with beautiful iris photos. Don't miss it!

./././

Support the work of The American Iris Society by becoming a member:

Not a member of the American Iris Society? Please see our website for information about becoming one: http://irises.org/
Happy Gardening!

• The Annual Print Membership receives the printed version of Irises, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society, published four times annually.

• Annual E-membership participants can view the online version of Irises, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society. Also, has access to the online iris checklist.

• The Annual Full Membership receives both benefits described above.

• Participate in AIS’s Webinar Series featuring AIS experts from around the U.S.

• Get connected with AIS members via our Facebook Group Iris Lovers, and other social media channels.

• Get to know about lesser known irises, such as species, spuria, Japanese, Louisiana, Siberian and other beardless irises.

• Support AIS's Mission of education, conservation, research, preserving historical archives, and outreach projects.

• Did you know that The American Iris Society is the registration authority for all rhizomatous irises worldwide?  

• The Iris Encyclopedia is available 24-7, 365 days a year, and filled with a wealth of iris knowledge. Stop by for a visit!

Spuria News - Spring 2026

by Wayne Messer 

The latest edition of Spuria News, the Newsletter of the Spuria Iris Society, published twice a year and available to Spuria Iris Society members is on its way.

Here are a few of the topics in this edition:

Missouri Ramblin by Jim Hedgecock is encouraging spuria hybridizing and hybridizers

A Blast From the Past by Darol Jurn has spurias at a Fall Iris Show, as well as separate articles on growing spurias from seeds and spuria iris culture

Request for Spuria Guest Iris Rhizomes for the 2029 Spuria Convention, Ramona, California

2026 Introductions

For those new to spurias, they are tall (2 to 5 feet in height) and elegant, and have very attractive foliage. The shape of the bloom often suggests orchids, and the colors range from white and yellow through blue, wine, and brown, often with bright yellow signals. This horticultural class is equivalent to the botanical Series Spuriae. The highest award is the Eric Nies Medal.

The Spuria Iris Society is a section of The American Iris Society, and is dedicated to expanding the public's knowledge of spuria irises. For more information about growing spuria irises and becoming a member of the Society, please visit their website.

Happy Gardening!

SIGNA Journal - Fall 2025 Edition

by Wayne Messer

SIGNA - Species Iris Group of North America - is a Section of the American Iris Society that publishes the SIGNA Journal for members twice a year. SIGNA is devoted to species, like the Iris missouriensis on the cover of this issue, and species crosses.

 

Contents of this issue include:

Half Full or Half Empty by Bob Pries refers to the Iris Encyclopedia and its current lineup of species, species crosses, and irids to check out. You can help by adding photos of these plants.

Seed Pods on Iris x ampliflora by Dennis Kramb is his adventures triggering pod formation. No seeds yet, but he has suggestions.

Irises in Russia: Irises from section Tenuifoliae, by Nina Alexeeva describes and compares I. loczyi, I. tenuifolia and I. ventricosa, with photos and maps.

iNaturalist came up 3 times in this issue, including First Mastigostyla macbridei posted on iNaturalist! See the iNaturalist posting here: https://www.inaturalist.org/blog/115883

And, as you might expect, it concludes with photos of the 2025 SPEC and SPEC-X AIS Award Winners.

Become a SIGNA member and see these and all the other articles and photos. Now is also a great time to join because the SIGNA Seed Exchange is currently underway! Closes April 1st. While it is members only, you can join as you pay for your seeds. Here’s the link: http://signa.org/index.pl?SeedList. If you are new to the seed exchange, please read the instructions here http://signa.org/index.pl?SeedXchg before placing an order.

You can learn more about SIGNA and species here: http://www.signa.org/

Happy Gardening!

IRISES: The Bulletin of the AIS - Winter 2026 Edition

By Andi Rivarola

A warm welcome to those who are seeing IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society for the first time. If you are a member of The American Iris Society I hope you enjoy this new issue.

The Winter 2026 issue of the AIS Bulletin is available online now, accessible via the Emembers section of the AIS website. The print copy is being mailed via the U.S. Post Office. 

On the cover, 'Crepe Demeanor' (Jim Hedgecock, R. 2020, SPU), photo contest category 5 iris photo-MACRO, second place winner, photo by Tammie Clark.

Note: to access this area of the website, you must have a current AIS Emembership. (AIS Emembership is separate from the normal AIS membership.) Please see the Electronic Membership Information are of the AIS website for more details.

In this issue, the AIS Bulletin focuses in grand part on the 2025 AIS Photo Contest winners. We hope you like the images. Two double page spreads are featured on pages 2-3 and 50-51.

The 2025 AIS Honorary Awards are included in details on pages 12-17.

All of the 2025 AIS Photo Contest winners by category are listed on pages 18-24.

The 2026 AIS Photo Contest announcement is on page 25.

An article on New & Returning AIS Directors is featured on pages 26 and 27.

A fantastic article on how to put together a Club Display Garden can be found on pages 29-33.

If you ever dreamed on becoming an AIS Convention Guest Plant Chair, please read the write up on pages 34 and 35.

No registered for the AIS National Convention in New York and New Jersey? The registration form can be found on page 39.

Emeritus AIS judges have been approved by the AIS Board, and the article on pages 42 and 43.

Artistic Design is analyzed in detail on pages 44-49.

The Eric Nies Medal is explained on pages 52-55.

Traveling to the AIS Convention can be fun, as explained on pages 56-61.

There's so much more on this issue in a total of 100 pages, filled with beautiful iris photos. Don't miss it!

./././

Support the work of The American Iris Society by becoming a member:

Not a member of the American Iris Society? Please see our website for information about becoming one: http://irises.org/
Happy Gardening!

• The Annual Print Membership receives the printed version of Irises, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society, published four times annually.

• Annual E-membership participants can view the online version of Irises, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society. Also, has access to the online iris checklist.

• The Annual Full Membership receives both benefits described above.

• Participate in AIS’s Webinar Series featuring AIS experts from around the U.S.

• Get connected with AIS members via our Facebook Group Iris Lovers, and other social media channels.

• Get to know about lesser known irises, such as species, spuria, Japanese, Louisiana, Siberian and other beardless irises.

• Support AIS's Mission of education, conservation, research, preserving historical archives, and outreach projects.

• Did you know that The American Iris Society is the registration authority for all rhizomatous irises worldwide?  

• The Iris Encyclopedia is available 24-7, 365 days a year, and filled with a wealth of iris knowledge. Stop by for a visit!

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 DeBaillon Medal Winner

   'KATRINA RISING'

The DeBaillon Medal is restricted to Louisiana (LA) irises. It is named in honor of Mary Swords DeBaillon (1888-1940). Mary DeBaillon realized how varied Louisiana irises were and what lovely garden plants they were. Mary DeBaillon amassed the largest collection of Louisiana irises in the world. She was tireless in promoting these irises as good garden plants and in encouraging any who would listen to grow them. She gained considerable fame as a naturalist and native plant collector.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Louisiana iris 'Katrina Rising'

photo by Patrick O'Comnor

'Katrina Rising' ( Patrick O’Connor, R. 2015) Seedling 12-09. LA, 28-32" (71-81 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards deep red-orange; style arms ivory with light red-orange wash; falls deep red-orange on upper half, lower half a mix of red-orange veins over yellow ground, yellow thumbprint signal with darker yellow center line; all petal edges outlined yellow. Seedling 06-31: (seedling 00-17: ('Hurricane Colin' x 'Tchoupitoulas') x 'Mister Joe') X 'Andouille'. Louisiana Iris Gardens 2016.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 Payne Medal Winner

  'PINK PLAYMATE'

The Payne Medal is restricted to Japanese irises (JI). It is named in honor of W. Arlie Payne (1881-1971). W. Arlie Payne was at first especially interested in peonies, but in the late 1920s, he "discovered" Japanese irises. He started hybridizing Japanese irises in 1932. Over the next three and a half decades, he raised many thousands of seedlings. One of the most exceptional aspects of his breeding program was that it was developed in the early years using only six cultivars of the Edo type. Payne took line breeding to a new level of intensity. The American Iris Society awarded Arlie Payne its coveted Hybridizers Medal in 1964. When he died at the age of 90, in 1971, he was universally revered as the world's premier breeder of Japanese irises.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Japanese Iris 'Pnk Playmate'

photo by Chad Harris

'Pink Playmate' (Chad Harris, R. 2017). Seedling# 08JH4. JI (6 falls), 24" (61 cm), Midseason bloom. Bright pink (RHS 75C) self, gold-yellow (12A) signal; full round, very ruffled form. 'Saigyozakura' X seedling# 00JF3: ('Saigyozakura' x 'Hime Kagami'). Mt. Pleasant 2018. 

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 William Mohr Medal Winner

 'EYE OF THE STORM'

The William Mohr Medal is restricted to irises of one-quarter or more aril content that do not meet the more restrictive requirements of the Clarence G. White Medal.

It is named in honor of William A. Mohr (1871-1923). About ten years before his death, Mohr began working with irises. He obtained the tetraploid Asiatic species, as well as regelia and oncocyclus irises, and communicated with other iris hybridizers such as Ellen Sturtevant and Samuel Stillman Berry. The two greatest achievements of William Mohr's hybridizing programs are probably his plicatas and his innovative and beautiful arilbreds. His great plicatas are 'Los Angeles' and the iris that won the first American Dykes Medal, 'San Francisco'. Mohr's most important arilbred iris is the magnificent 'William Mohr.' 

Arilbred iris 'Eye of the Storm'
photo by Sutton's Iris Garden

'Eye Of The Storm' (Michael Sutton, R. 2016) Seedling AZ-403-B. AB, 13" (33 cm), Early midseason bloom; Standards and style arms imperial purple; falls red-purple, near black thumbprint; beards lavender. 'Reddy Freddie' X 'Kalifa’s Robe'. Sutton 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including award of merit and honorable mention, will be published in the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 Eric Nies Medal Winner

 'WICHITA LINEMAN'

The Nies Medal is restricted to spuria irises. It is named in honor of Eric Nies (1884-1952). Eric Nies was born in Saugatuck, Michigan, but soon after Nies moved to California, he became interested in irises of all types. He obtained his first spuria irises from Jennett Dean, who operated one of the first iris specialist nurseries in the U.S. Spurias were his special interest. His first cross was Iris orientalis with 'Monspur.' He interbred seedlings from this cross, and in the second generation there was a virtual explosion of color: blue, lavender, brown, bronze and cream. During his lifetime, Nies was recognized as the world's foremost breeder of spuria irises. Marion Walker took over his seedlings and breeding lines after he died in 1952.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Spuria iris 'Wichita Lineman'

photo by Jim Hedgecock

*'Wichita Lineman' (Jim Hedgecock, R. 2014) Seedling #JM-27-A. SPU, 46" (117 cm). Midseason bloom. Standards yellow, bold red-brown lines radiating out from midribs; style arms medium purple; falls gold, heavy red-brown lines radiating out over petals to 1/8" red-brown rims; ruffled; slight sweet fragrance. 'Falcon's Crest' X 'Pieces of Eight'. Comanche Acres 2014.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 Morgan-Wood Medal Winner

'FIDDLES ON FIRE'

The Morgan-Wood Medal is restricted to Siberian (SIB) irises. It is named in honor of F. Cleveland Morgan (1882-1962) and Ira E. Wood (1903-1977). F. Cleveland Morgan was a pioneer Canadian breeder of Siberian irises and a founding member of AIS. Some of his magnificent cultivars still enhance gardens around the globe. Three of his best known irises are 'Caezar,' 'Caezar's Brother' and 'Tropic Night'. Ira E. Wood hybridized Siberian irises, but he introduced only one cultivar 'Ong's Hat.' He also served as a director of AIS and as its second vice president.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Siberian iris 'Fiddles on Fire'
photo by Heather Haley

'Fiddles On Fire'- (Marty Schafer and Jan Sacks, R. 2017) Seedling S11-61-10. SIB, 20" (51 cm). Midseason bloom. Standards red-orange to red-violet lighter in center, darker at edge; style arms richer colors than standards; Falls bright red over yellow, deep red veins, bright yellow signal with red veins. Seedling S08-14-2: (seedling S03-26-2, 'Carnivalito' pod parent x 'Miss Apple') X seedling S08-16-2, 'Carnivalito' sibling. Joe Pye Weed 2017.

Classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES. 

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 Sydney B. Mitchell Medal Winner

'OCEAN ROAR' and 'WILDER RANCH' (tie)

The Mitchell Medal is restricted to Pacific Coast Native (PCN) irises. It is named in honor of Sydney B. Mitchell (1878-1951). Professor Sydney Mitchell was an educator. He became Acting Librarian at the University of California during WW I, and later founded and became first director of the Graduate School of Librarianship at that university. He was also one of the organizers of the American Iris Society.

Tom Craig wrote this of him: "Sydney looked upon plant breeding as a long term international effort in which individuals from all over the world should co-operate and add generation after generation to a real human achievement. He made me feel a real part of this and more particularly a part of a special work started by William Mohr and carried on by himself. Sydney generously gave flowers and plants of seedling for further encouragement with this work."

Mitchell was also interested in the native irises of the West Coast, and promoted them at every opportunity. He took great pride in the plantings of PCNs in his own garden. He had a large collection of various forms of Iris innominata and I. douglasiana. 

Previous award winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Pacific Coast Native iris 'Ocean Roar'

photo by Joe Ghio

'Ocean Roar' (Joseph Ghio, R. 2017). Seedling# QPP-99II. CA, 13" (33 cm), Early midseason bloom. Standards smooth deep blue-purple; style arms blue-purple; falls same, dime sized purple signal surrounded by wide white halo, some lines radiating from signal. Seedling# NP-75F: ('Caught in the Wind' x 'Fresh Eyes') X seedling# NP-63L, 'Conga Line' pod parent sibling. Bay View 2017

Pacific Coast Native iris 'Wilder Ranch'
photo by Joe Ghio

'Wilder Ranch' (Joseph Ghio, R. 2013) Seedling# KP-166N3. CA, 12" (30 cm). Late midseason bloom. Standards and style arms henna; falls toast, blue edge, signal neon violet. Seedling# HP-163D, 'Mandalay Bay' sibling X seedling# IP-139H2, 'Silent Witness' sibling. Bay View 2013. 

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES. 

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 Founders of SIGNA Medal Winner

 'VIOLET CONSTELLATION'

The Founders of SIGNA Medal is restricted to species irises (SPEC) and is named to honor the founding members of the Species Iris Group of North America (SIGNA). Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Species iris 'Violet Constellation'

photo by Chad Harris

'Violet Constellation' (Chad Harris, R. 2017) Seedling 11LC4. SPEC (laevigata), 33" (84 cm), Early bloom. Standards white, violet-blue (RHS 90C) flush at midrib, upright; style arms violet-blue, white edge, crest white flushed violet-blue at base; falls white evenly speckled violet-blue, very thin yellow (3C) signal surrounded by pale violet watermark; seed from SIGNA donated by Hiroshi Shimizu. Seedling 07LAK6, parentage unknown X self. Mt. Pleasant 2018.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including award of merit and honorable mention, will be published in the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 C. G. White Medal Winner

 'Chihuahua Night'

Since 1993, the Clarence G. White Memorial Medal has been awarded to the best arilbred iris with 1/2 or more aril ancestry. When Clarence G. White began his work with aril irises, little was known about the complexity of iris genetics. White assembled the largest collection of aril irises in the world and conducted thousands of breeding experiments to obtain viable, fertile seedlings. One of his goals was to develop strong, pure Oncocylus hybrids.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards. 

Arilbred iris 'Chihuahua Night'
photo by Howard Dash

'Chihuahua Night' (Howard Dash, R. 2018). Seedling ADG-15-04-01. AB (OGB), 32" (81 cm). Early to midseason bloom. Standards lilac, plum veining, golden at base; style arms golden, bronzed lilac crests; falls creamy white, heavily veined and stippled dark plum lighter at rim, small plum-black signal; beards golden mustard. 'Garnettville' X 'Damfino'. Picacho Mountain Iris 2019.

'The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 Caparne-Welch Medal Winner

  'KAY'

The Caparne-Welch Medal is restricted to miniature dwarf bearded (MDB) irises. It is named in honor of William John Caparne (1855-1940) and Walter Welch (1887-1980). Caparne worked extensively breeding various dwarf iris species and was the first iris hybridizer to concentrate on smaller irises. Most of the dwarf iris cultivars grown in gardens in the first quarter of the 20th century were products of Caparne's hybridizing efforts. Walter Welch was the founder of the Dwarf Iris Society. After moving to Middlebury, Indiana, he met Paul Cook and began hybridizing irises. He shared Cook's enthusiasm for dwarf irises and set out to develop new forms for the garden.

Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Miniature dwarf bearded iris 'Kay'

photo by Jeanette Graham

'Kay' - (Thomas Johnson, R. 2017) Seedling TG322C. MDB, 7.5" (19 cm). Midseason bloom. Standards deep purple to black; style arms deep purple; Falls black; beards mustard, huge. 'Beckoning' sibling X 'Ping'. Mid-America 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2025 Cook-Douglas Medal Winner

  'BLUE EYED GIRL'

 The Cook-Douglas 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, the most notable being 'Keepsake,' 'Tampa,' and 'Promise.' 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: 'Baria,' 'Fairy Flax,' and 'Green Spot.'

Geddes Douglas was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1902. Douglas was a chemist and businessman. In the early 1950s, he founded the Geddes Douglas Garden Center in Nashville. He became a leader in the Tennessee Nurserymen's Association and served a term as president of the Southern Nursery Association.

Previous awards winners can be found at: https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Standard dwarf bearded iris 'Blue Eued Girl'

photo by Judy Schneider (The Shady Spot)

'Blue Eyed Girl'-(Thomas Johnson, R. 2017) Seedling TG344B. SDB, 15" (38 cm), Early light lemon yellow, deeper in center; style arms extremely light yellow; falls light yellow, deeper yellow wash around beard; beards large, bushy, deep inky blue; slight fragrance. Seedling TC262A: ('Chicklet' x 'Meow') X 'Worry Wart'. Mid-America 2017.

The World of Irises blog will be posting classification medal winners as soon as the hybridizers are notified. The entire list of winners, including  Award of Merit and Honorable Mention, will be published on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.