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 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 Randolph-Perry Medal Winner

   'ALABAMA BLUE FIN'

The Randolph-Perry Medal is restricted to interspecies irises (SPEC-X). It is named in honor of Dr. L. F. Randolph (1894-1980) and Amos Perry (1871-1953).

Dr. L. F. Randolph, or "Fitz" as he was affectionately called by his many friends and associates, was chairman of the AIS Scientific Committee from 1945 to 1956. The work he and his students Jyotirmay Mitra and Katherine Heinig did on iris chromosomes produced many published monographs and provide the basis of our scientific understanding of the genus. He conducted a number of extensive iris species collection expeditions and brought back new species and many new forms of other iris species, especially of I. pumila.

Amos Perry was born into a family of nurserymen. Perry was one of the first hybridizers to use the tetraploid irises 'Amas', I trojana, I. mesopotamica and I. cypriana. He introduced scores of new bearded cultivars, but he was more interested in Siberian irises and iris species. He probably created more new hybrid interspecies irises than any other iris breeder. His new hybrid irises often had names that indicated their species parentage, such as 'Chrysogana' (I. chrysographes x I. bulleyana); 'Tebract' (I. tenax x I. bracteata); 'Longsib' (I. longipetala x I. siberica); and 'Chrysowigi' (I. chrysographes x I. hartwegii).

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

Inter-species hybrid iris 'Alabama Blue Fin'
photo by Judy Schneider

'Alabama Blue Fin' - (Jill Copeland, R. 2016) Seedling Y-4. SPEC-X (pseudata), 38" (97 cm), Late midseason bloom. Standards cream-white (RHS 155C); style arms edged light yellow (12D), midrib darker (12B), tips mid yellow (12C); falls very light yellow (2D) washed violet (100C), heart shaped signal violet-blue (89A) in throat blending to yellow (12B) to the center of petal then edged by violet-blue band with short sharp pointed lines into petal. Seedling GXS-2: ('Gubijin' x 'Sushi') X 'Christina’s Sister'. Ensata 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 Knowlton Medal Winner

  'FROSTY SPIRIT'

The Knowlton Medal is restricted to border bearded (BB) irises. It is named in honor of Harold W. Knowlton (1888-1968) of Auburndale, Massachusetts, a tireless promoter of the border bearded class of irises. Bennett Jones wrote in The World of Irises: "Harold Knowlton was among the first to make deliberate selections of smaller plants. Two of his 1950 introductions, ‘Pearl Cup’ ... and ‘Cricket’... display the desirable features we still seek in modern border irises." Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Border bearded iris 'Frosty Spirit'
photo by Rick Tasco

'Frosty Spirit' - (Richard Tasco, R. 2017) Seedling 11-BB-01-23. BB, 27" (69 cm), Early midseason bloom. standards very pale light blue, centers lighter, few thin green veins at midrib; style arms very pale light blue; Falls same, lighter centers; beards golden orange 1st half then wisteria blue (RHS 92A); blue slightly darker in cooler weather; moderately ruffled; slight sweet fragrance. Seedling 07-SDB-79-17-HR: (seedling 05-SDB-31-13: (Carmel Celeste x seedling 02-SDB-01-02: (Love Unlimited x 'Yearling')) x seedling 5-SDB-03-18-HR: ('Punk' x seedling 03-SDB-04-02-HR: ('Mesmerizer' x Hager pumila seedling 4471TyY : ('Ceremony' x Hager pumila seedling 2847WFlrPr: (seedling BU68 x 'Atomic Blue'))))) X 'Glacier Point'. Superstition 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 Wister Medal Winners

 'DARK UNIVERSE' - 'MARRY THE NIGHT' -

'GHIRARDELLI SQUARE'

The Wister Medal is restricted to tall bearded (TB) irises. It is named in honor of John C. Wister (1887-1982). Three medals are awarded each year. Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

John C. Wister led the organizing meeting that created the American Iris Society and became its first president, a position he held for 14. He guided the Society through its formative years. He was widely recognized as a man of rare management skills, leadership ability, and the highest ethical standards. R. S. Sturtevant wrote of him: "Probably few current members realize that the AIS started through the efforts and initiative of one man, John C. Wister...."

Tall bearded iris 'DARK UNIVERSE'

Photo by Christine Cosi

'Dark Universe' (Keith Keppel, R. 2018). Seedling 05-69C. TB, 35" (89 cm). Early bloom. Standards concord (M&P 45-K-12), very faint paler venation toward edge, ¹⁄₁₆˝ blue-white edge; style arms blue-white to wisteria violet (41-E-8); falls velvety concord, minute blue white edge, white area beside beard, fine speckled transitional area, haft with faint yellow edge deep in throat; beard hairs based white, chrome yellow (9-L-7) tips in throat, tips lemon-yellow (9-L-2) at end; luminata. Seedling 00-56D: (seedling 97-86B: ('Fancy Dress' x 'New Leaf') x 'Moonlit Water') X seedling 02-106A, 'Belle Fille' pollen parent. Introduced by Keith Keppel Iris in 2019.

Tall bearded iris 'MARRY THE NIGHT'

photo by Jeanette Graham

'Marry The Night' (Thomas Johnson, R. 2017). Seedling# TF77D. TB, 32" (81 cm). Early bloom. Standards near solid very dark purple; style arms dark purple; falls pristine white, precise dark purple band; beards orange, purple at the very end; sweet fragrance. 'Locomotion' sibling. Introduced by Mid-America Gardens in 2017. 

Tall bearded iris 'GHIRARDELLI SQUARE'
photo by Jeanette Graham

'Ghirardelli Square' (Keith Keppel, R. 2015). Seedling# 09-88B. TB, 38" (97 cm). Early midseason bloom. Standards blended brazil brown (M&P 8-L-8) and horsechestnut (8-J-5); style arms brazil brown to raw umber (7-L-12), wax yellow (11-L-4) on arms; falls white (9-AB-1), ³⁄₈˝ purple-chocolate (darker than 56-L-8) solid plicata edge, some speckling extending inward, short dark veins beside beard; beards mustard-tan, hairs based lavender. Seedling# 02-92A: ('Inside Trac' x 'Spice Lord') X 'Reckless Abandon'. Introduced by Keith Keppel Iris in 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 Dykes Medal Winner

'ROYSTON RUBIES'

First awarded in 1927, the American Dykes Medal is the highest award of the American Iris Society (AIS). It is named for William Rickatson Dykes (1877-1925) and is awarded to no more than one iris per year. Irises are eligible as a Dykes Medal candidate for three years following the winning of a classification medal. Only AIS-accredited judges may vote. Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

Tall bearded iris 'Royston Rubies' 

photo by Mid-American Gardens

'Royston Rubies'  (Adam Cordes, R. 2016). Seedling# C51-8. Height 32 in. (81 cm). Late midseason bloom. Standards old mauve; style arms same, honey-gold sides, lavender lip, crests toasted-brown; falls dark ruby red, black veneer overlay to the ¼˝old mauve edge, occasional slight lavender line at end of beard, faint white rays at sides of beard, mustard-orange base on shoulders; beards mustard-orange, lavender base. 'Prestige Item' X 'Cranberry Sauce'. Introduced by Mid-America Gardens in 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 2024 DeBaillon Medal Winner

  'EYES WIDE OPEN'

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 'Eyes Wide Open'
photo by Howard Dash

'Eyes Wide Open' (Heather Pryor, R. 2006). Seedling 49/98-GHP. LA, 39" (99 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards creamy white, cyclamen blush at 1/4" edge, white rim; style arms pastel pink, lemon midrib, base and ends; falls medium cyclamen pink, white rim; signals very large yellow blotch, red eyeliner surround on falls only; recurved, triangular form; sweet fragrance. Seedling 11/94-A: ('Lemon Sorbet' x seedling 35/92-A: ('Volcanic Wildfire' x 'Spanish Ballet')) X 'Our Dorothy'. Introduced by Iris City Gardens in 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 2024 Morgan-Wood Medal Winner

 'MY GIRL EMILY'

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 'My Girl Emily'
photo by Heather Haley

'My Girl Emily' (Dean Cole, R. 2010) Seedling DC-04-300-4. SIB (tetraploid), 32" (81 cm), Early midseason bloom. Standards very light pink-lavender, thin red edge; style arms light lavender and pink, aqua midrib, thin red edge; Falls light blue, extra wide red edge, dark blue veins. yellow to cream signal, nicely ruffled. Seedling DC-02-207-1: ('Great Falls Love' x seedling McEwen T9 95-83) X McEwen seedling T8-92/24 WR5, 'Merryspring' sibling. Introduced by Fieldstone Gardens in 2012.

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 2024 Eric Nies Medal Winner

'RED WARLORD'

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 'Red Warlord'
photo by Bob Pries

'Red Warlord' (Lee Walker, R. 2015) Seedling# 98-7-3. SPU, 40" (102 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards gold, dark red veining, dark red-brown edge; style arms center dark red line and tip, edge cream-gold; falls gold center with dark red veining, same color to edge. 'Highline Topaz' X 'Duerme'. Introduced in 2016 Wildwood Gardens.

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 2024 Payne Medal Winner

 'COLUMBIA CREST'

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 'Columbia Crest'
photo by Chad Haris

'Columbia Crest' ( Chad Harris, R. 2014), Seedling 02JC13. JI (6 falls), 50" (127 cm), Late bloom. Style arms multiple, upright, flaring crests royal purple (RHS 90A); Falls royal purple blending to hyacinth blue (93B) around the bright gold-yellow (7A) signal. 'Night Angel' X 'Frosted Intrigue'. Introduced by Mt. Pleasant Iris farm in 2015.

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 2024 Randolph Perry Medal Winner

  'VIOLET SWALLOWS'

The Randolph-Perry Medal is restricted to interspecies irises (SPEC-X). It is named in honor of Dr. L. F. Randolph (1894-1980) and Amos Perry (1871-1953).

Dr. L. F. Randolph, or "Fitz" as he was affectionately called by his many friends and associates, was chairman of the AIS Scientific Committee from 1945 to 1956. The work he and his students Jyotirmay Mitra and Katherine Heinig did on iris chromosomes produced many published monographs and provide the basis of our scientific understanding of the genus. He conducted a number of extensive iris species collection expeditions and brought back new species and many new forms of other iris species, especially of I. pumila.

Amos Perry was born into a family of nurserymen. Perry was one of the first hybridizers to use the tetraploid irises 'Amas,' I trojana, I. mesopotamica and I. cypriana. He introduced scores of new bearded cultivars, but he was more interested in Siberian irises and iris species. He probably created more new hybrid interspecies irises than any other iris breeder. His new hybrid irises often had names that indicated their species parentage, such as 'Chrysogana' (I. chrysographes x I. bulleyana); 'Tebract' (I. tenax x I. bracteata); 'Longsib' (I. longipetala x I. siberica); and 'Chrysowigi' (I. chrysographes x I. hartwegii).

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

Inter-species hybrid iris 'Violet Swallows'
photo by Mike Unser

'Violet Swallows' (Chad Harris, R. 2015) Seedling# 08SPCXL2. SPEC-X, 60" (152 cm), Late bloom. Standards white, small; style arms pale yellow (RHS 4D); falls pastel violet (85A), signal bright yellow (6A) surrounded by strong dark violet (86A) eyelash markings. 'Gubijin' X seedling# 97JD7: (Coble seedling# J90G: (seedling# J88A: (seedling# J86N: (seedling# J84J-7: ('Kyokko' x unknown) x seedling# J83A-6: ('Kyokko' x 'Rose Prelude')) x seedling# J84J) x seedling# J86DD: (seedling# J84J x seedling# J83A-6)) x 'Hime Kagami'). Introduced in 2016 by Mt Pleasant Iris Farm.

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 2024 Sydney B. Mitchell Award Winner

'CAUGHT IN THE WIND'

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 'Caught In The Wind'
Photo by Leonine Iris

'Caught In The Wind' (Joseph Ghio, R. 2012) Seedling #LP-145B2. CA, 16" (41 cm). Early midseason bloom. Standards blue-violet, lighter blue edges; style arms dark blue-purple; Falls creamy white, petal edges lined blue violet; yellow blaze lined over with blue violet. 'Line Drawing' X 'This is It'. Introduced by Bay View Gardens in 2012.

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 2024 Founders of SIGNA Medal Winner

 'LAVENDER MOONBEAMS'

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 'Lavender Moonbeams'

photo by Rick Tasco

'Lavender Moonbeams' (Richard Tasco R. 2014) Seedling #00-UNG-02-01. SPEC (unguicularis), 12" (30 cm). Midseason to late bloom. Standards light lavender, lightly veined; style arms light lavender, light golden maize sides; falls light lavender, lightly veined, white area veined lavender covers top half of petal on both sides of signal, signal orange-yellow halfway down petal; pronounced sweet fragrance. I. unguicularis alba X unknown, possibly I. unguicularis "Marondera". Introduced by Superstition Iris Gardens in 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 in the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.