The American Iris Society Announces the 2023 Mary Swords Debaillon Medal Winner

 'MELODY WILHOIT'

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.

Louisana Iris 'Melody Wilhoit'
Photo by Delane Langton

'Melody Wilhoit' (Hooker Nichols) Seedling LAB11. LA, 36" (91 cm), Early to late bloom. Standards dark yellow, ruffled; style arms dark yellow, slight green deep interior; falls same as standards, gold raised signal; huge flowers; saucer shaped. 'Ada Morgan' X 'Spanish Ballet'. Introduced by Redbud Lane Iris Garden in 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 2022 DeBaillon Medal Winner

'WATERMELON WIZARD'

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.

'Watermelon Wizard'
photo by Riley Probst

'Watermelon Wizard' (Hooker Nichols, R. 2011) Seedling LA 05-70. LA, 36 (91 cm), Late midseason bloom. Standards and falls salmon-raspberry blend, darker veining and lines throughout; signals small gold line. 'Heather Pryor' X 'Guessing Game'. Introduced by Hillcrest Iris Gardens in 2011.

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.

Winter Watch for Irises

 By Hooker Nichols

The Winter Watch season is about to begin for us particularly in the Southern states. You might ask yourselves what is he talking about? Many times people in our areas tend to continue replanting irises until near time for the first frosts.

Image by Jeanette Graham

Here in northern and eastern Texas we have an average first frost or freeze date of November 22. They usually even bloom the following spring. Keep a constant watch for any late plants heaving out of the ground due to constant freezing and thawing of the soil. If this happens, just gently step on the rhizomes and push them back into the ground.

Now is the time to plant your iris seeds. This will ensure that the young plants will not germinate prematurely and be killed by the freezing temperatures. Be sure to keep your seedbeds slightly moist through the winter.

For you who are hybridizers, this is the time we plan our future spring crosses. Be sure to use only irises which have the best growth and blooming characteristics in future endeavors. You should pay closest attention to bud count and branching.

Reblooming characteristics may be incorporated too. For those of you who are exhibition fans, remember that a Best of Show specimen begins the moment you plant that iris in your garden the previous year. Winter garden care is the key to wonderful spring bloom. Wishing all a safe holiday season and a better outlook for Spring 2021.

Why grow reblooming median irises?

By Hooker Nichols

This past spring here in north Texas was very cool and rainy. Our median bloom was about three weeks early beginning in early March.  All four of the median classes were well represented and the season was very long.  Our season for bearded and beardless bloom ended before the last week of April.

 

Donald Spoon's reblooming 'Alberta Peach'

Around May 20^th, we noticed that many of the median irises with reblooming traits were sending up more stalks and consequently several of the clumps put on a better show than four to five weeks previously.  The once blooming medians did not put up hardly any repeat stalks.

Hooker Nichol's reblooming Border Bearded 'Lenora Pearl'

Mike Sutton's reblooming IB 'Mulligan'

Those medians from the East and West coasts put on equal performances.  Several medians with reblooming tendencies introduced from Canada were well represented too.  Iris growers should check the Reblooming Iris Society annual symposium results to see with reblooming medians perform best in their particular areas.

Chuck Chapman's reblooming SDB 'Autumn Jester'

It should be noted that we had heavily fertilized our irises last fall and this spring. 

Terry Aitken's reblooming IB 'August Treat'

Planting Iris Seeds

By Hooker T. Nichols

Planting iris seeds in our warm Texas climate occurs this time of the year for me.  Usually we have very mild winters in North Texas.  I have found that if I plant the seeds either in the ground or in one-gallon black plastic pots and the seeds germinate before mid-January and we have a cold snap where the temperatures dip into the single digits, they baby iris will die from the extreme cold.

Hooker getting ready to plant his iris seeds.

The seeds have been air-dried after ripening on the iris stalks.  Next, I place the seeds in the miniature plastic bead bags and freeze them until I plant (typically now).  The soil in the pots is comprised of landscape mix topped off with a good potting mix (such as Miracle Grow).  The seeds are planted 1 inch deep.  The soil is kept moist.  The seeds start germinating around mid-March.  When the baby irises reach 3 inches in height and the danger of freezes is past, they are transplanted into the garden with spacing being approximately 4-5 inches apart.  I get 50 to 75% bloom the following spring.  This is a tried and true method for me.

Who knows what will come from the seeds?

Year in Review

As the editors of The World of Irises blog look back on 2017, these were the most viewed posts. To view the email, just click on the title of the blog and it will take you to the post.

 In first place was Dawn Munford’s “A Fond Farewell to Tall Bearded Iris."

Y

Image by Dawn Munford

The second most viewed blog was Suzanne Holland Spicker’s "’Talking Irises’ TALL BEARDED IRISES: COMPANION PLANTS for PINK, RED, and PURPLE IRISES.”

'Red Skies' (Ghio)--image by Suzanne Spicker

That blog was followed by Chad Harris’s “Colors, Patterns of Japanese Iris."

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Image by Chad Harris

Dawn Munford occupies the Number 4 spot with “MOREPHOTOMONTAGES OF TALL BEARDED IRISES.”

Image by Dawn Munford

Rounding out the top five, Suzanne Holland Spicker’s “GardenMagic Fills My Soul.”

Image by Kat Zalewska

Next up is Tom Waters’s “Growing Irises From Seed.”

Image by Tom Water

One of our new bloggers occupies the next spot with Hooker Nichol’s “Louisiana Irises.”

'Great White Hope' (Haymon)--Image by Robert Treadway

Bonnie Nichols wrote about cultural problems in “Bloom Out in Bearded Irises.”

Image by Bonnie Nichols

In ninth place, Bryce Williamson posted “I’m Singing the Blues.”

'Absolute Treasure' (Tasco)--Image by Bryce Williamson

The final blog in the top 10 is Chad Harris’s “FlowerForms of Japanese Iris.”

Image by Chad Harris

You can be automatically notified of all new post by going to the top left of any blog and filling your email address in the box and then clicking on submit. With the wide variety of content in this blog, you don’t want to miss a post.

And the editors look forward to 2018 and many more exciting and interesting posts.

Median Iris: Standard Dwarf Bearded

By Hooker Nichols

One of the most delightful classes of bearded iris one can grow is that particular group of iris known as the standard dwarf bearded.  These wonderful smaller iris range 8 to 16 inches in height.   They bloom after the peak season of miniature dwarf bearded iris and before the peak season of the intermediate bearded iris.

Hooker Nichol's 'Amazon Princess'--image by Igor Khorosh

Most generally as a group, these delightful iris are rapid increasers and the clumps give the appearance of mounds of flowers.  They possess the color range found in the other bearded classes.  Bloom is determined by the amount of cold weather experienced during the winter season.  Here in Texas, we experienced 334 frost free growing days in 2017 and spring bloom was very limited.  On the flip side of the coin, abundant rainfall during the spring and early summer resulted in very good rebloom from those possessing reblooming traits.

'Bright Blue Eyes' (M. Sutton)--image by Mike Sutton

This group of iris are easy to hybridize and generally the seeds germinate very well.  One can get nearly 100 percent bloom the spring following the germination.  They make excellent border plants, but generally must be transplanted every three years.

'Open Your Eyes' (Paul Black)--image from Mid America Iris Gardens

Standard dwarf bearded irises do well in most regions of the country and are well liked overseas.  I encourage you to plant a few to begin and extend your bloom season.

'Eye of the Tiger' (Paul Black)--image by Chuck Chapman

Editor's Note: The top award in this class is the Cook Douglas Medal. All images in this blog have won that award.

'Ultimate' (Thomas Johnson)--image by Brock Heilman

Novelty Iris

By Bonnie Nichols

“What are Novelty irises?” ………. I get this question almost every judges training class I teach. I tell everyone “according to the AIS Handbook for Judges” – Novelties are broken color, space age, flatties, and variegated foliage irises. That statement is somewhat still true; however, the advancement of Novelty irises is moving rapidly. Remember when we all had dial-up modems and we heard whispers of “the Internet” circulating. And look where we are today!

'Big Bang Theory'--image by Blue Jay Garden

An example of new directions in Space Age irises.

'Zebra Blues' (Kasparek)--image by Jeanette Graham

An example of the new variegated foliage varieties.

In the 1950-60s “space age” irises became available to iris gardens primarily thanks to Lloyd Austin. Traditionalists probably shied away for these new-fangled irises. Strange irises, rock-n-roll, and the Beatles – what was the world coming to?

'Cross the Line' (M. Sutton)--image by Jeanette Graham

Space Age irises met some of the new color patterns.

Thanks to Alan Ensminger and Brad Kasparek (two guys that were iris pioneers), they brought us all those strange broken colors. Brad and Kathy Kasparek kept us guessing how to pronounce the GNU series as well as others.

'Spiced Tiger' (Kasparek)--image by Schreiner's Iris Garden

'Big Break'--image by Paul Black

Broken colors are now coming from different breeding lines.

'Leprechaun's Trick' (Black '15)--image by Paul Black

Another  example of variegated foliage

Monty Byers gave the iris world three Dykes Medal Winners (Mesmerizer, Conjuration, and Thornbird). Many times I wonder what Monty would think about the advancements in space age irises since the late ‘80s.

'Tropical Delight' (M. Sutton)--image by Mike Sutton

So, in addition to quoting the AIS Handbook answer of what Novelty irises are…………I always add FLATTIES, DOUBLES, BROKEN COLOR, SPACE AGE, FLOUNCES, POMPOMS, FULL MOONS….and, and, and……….. I don’t know where iris forms and iris colors will go from here AND that is part of the fun too. So to everyone reading this, think about hybridizing more Novelty irises!

FLATTIES are probably my favorite. Did I say that out loud? As judges, we are trained not to show our personal preferences when judging. As a human I find that difficult especially when I’m adding irises to my personal collection. My favorites are CHAOS THEORY, ORBISON, TOP DOWN, and FULL DISCLOSURE. All are faithful flatties.

'Chaos Theory' (Blyth)--image by Barry Blyth

There is a new addition to my favorite flatties – WICHITA FALLS. Yes, you are one of the first to hear. Z.G. Benson’s granddaughter has been kind enough to share one of Z. G.’s seedlings from the early 1970s. It is a huge blue/yellow FLATTIE. It is 100% flat! She is allowing Hooker to distribute the iris for Z. G. and name it WICHITA FALLS.

'Wichita Falls' (ZG Benson)--image by Hooker Nichols

Wichita Falls is the town in northwest Texas where Mr. Benson lived and hybridized the iris. The Novelty Iris Society will introduce the iris. Novelty Iris Society members will be notified when the iris is available for sale. Proceeds of the iris sales will benefit the Novelty Iris Society.

'Full Disclosure'--Image by Andi Rivarola

'Top Down' (Nichols)--image by Hooker Nichols

Editor's Note: We appreciate Bonnie Nichols's guest blog. Bonnie is the president of The Novelty Iris Society and you can find more information about that group on Facebook as Novelty Iris Society.

Louisiana Irises

By Hooker T. Nichols

'Great White Hope' (Haymon)--image by Robert Treadway

One of the easiest ways to extend your iris season is to plant a few Louisiana irises in your beds.  If you are gardener who raises irises, as well as, daylilies, Louisiana irises will fill in the bloom between the two bloom seasons.

'Red Velvet Elvis' (Vaughn) image by MJ Urist

Louisiana irises can be grown in any type of fertile soil, though they prefer somewhat acidic soil.  The best time to transplant them is in early autumn when the summer heat has passed. I use any type of low nitrogen fertilizer.  8-8-8, 10-20-0 works well or use granulated geranium or azalea fertilizer.  A little each month does wonder for their growth. Autumn application is around Halloween and Spring when the crocus bloom.

'Deja Voodoo' (O'Connor)--image by Robert Treadway

Plant the rhizomes 3” deep and keep watered until new growth begins.  Mulch them the year round and one good watering each week during the hot summer months is a must.  Do not allow them to go dormant during the summer.  

'Dural White Butterfly' (Taylor)

Photo by Richard Sloan

The bloom stalks range from 10 to over 50 inches in height.  Cut all bloom stalks after the last flowers fade.  Remember that allowing seed pods to form and mature will result on a reduction of buds the following year.

'Ride for Dixie' (Morgan) image by Delane Langton

Here are some older varieties I would highly recommend to the beginner if they want to grow a few Louisiana irises.  Just remember, most are rapid increasers and must be transplanted every two years.  Three year clumps can yield lots of increase and huge clumps. One half to full sun is recommended.

'Daintree' (Taylor)--image by Terry Aitken

'Melody Wilhoit' (Nichols)--image by Patrict O'Conner

White-Dural White Butterfly

Red-Red Velvet Elvis

Blue-Deja Voodoo

Orange-Ride for Dixie

Yellow-Daintree, Spanish Ballet, Edna Claunch, Melody Wilhoit

Purple-Great White Hope, Cajun Serenade, Starpower

Bronze-Cajun Sunrise

'Cajun Serenade' (Nichols)--image by Jim Morris

You will not be disappointed with the beauty of Louisiana Irises.

'Cajun Sunrise' (Mertzweiller)--image by Richard Sloan

Editor's Note: Hooker T. Nichols is one of our new bloggers and a famous, award winning hybridizer of tall bearded and median irises; in recent years, he has been breeding Louisiana irises and has spuria seedlings under consideration for introduction. His irises can be found at his garden: Hillcrest Iris & Daylily Gardens.