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 2023 Randolph-Perry Medal Winners

 'HAPPY TRAVELER' and 'LEMONY SNICKET'

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.

Species cross sibtosa iris 'Happy Traveler'
photo by Joe Bye Weed's Garden

'Happy Traveler' (Marty Schafer & Jan Sacks) Seedling SPx08-1-2. SPEC-X (sibtosa), 36" (91 cm), Midseason to late bloom. Standards mid violet-blue flushed darker in center; style arms pearly violet-blue; Falls violet-blue veined darker especially at signal, signal green-yellow with dark violet veining. 'Riverdance'; X 'Tourist'. Introduced through Joe Pye Weed's Garden in 2015.

Species cross pseudata iris 'Lemony Snicket'

photo by Mikey Lango

'Lemony Snicket' (Jill Copeland, R. 2014) Seedling HP-3. SPEC-X (pseudata), 44" (112 cm), Late bloom. Bright yellow self, signal golden yellow (17A) edged lighter, burgundy eye lash. unknown: ('Chance Beauty' x unknown) X 'Himeno'. Introduced by Ensata 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.

Randolph-Perry Medal 2018

The American Iris Society

Announces

The Randolph-Perry Medal 2018

‘Take-No-Sato’

 'Take-No-Sato'--image by Brock Heilman

'Take-No-Sato' (Hiroshi Shimizu by Carol Warner, R. 2008) SPEC-X (Pseudata); 45" (114 cm), Midseason bloom. Standards white brushed and veined red violet, white rim, small; style arms and Falls white veined red violet; signal deep yellow surrounded by deep red-violet eyelash markings. Translation: "Village of Bamboo". Honorable Mention 2013. Award of Merit 2015.

This 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, Dr. Randolph 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 English 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 hartwegi.

The World of Irises blog will be posting once a day all of the 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.

2013 Randolph Perry Medal winner 'Roy's Repeater'

by Jim Murrain

I am pleased to announce the winner of the 2013 Randolph Perry Medal 

is 'Roy's Repeater' by Terry  Aitken of Washington.

Photo by C. Hensler

Here's a full description of this beautiful Iris via the Iris Encyclopedia:   

'Roy's Repeater' (J. Terry Aitken, R. 2002). Sdlg. 97 SPEC 3C. SPEC-X, 42" (107 cm), ML-VL. White ground heavily overlaid with purple veins, F. with well defined sulphur yellow signal with purple veins; style arms white, veined purple near crests. 'Roy Davidson' X unknown - possibly 'Between the Lines'. Aitken 2002. HM 2006, AM 2010.

To learn more about this Medal go here.

Species Cross is a horticultural class for hybrids. Although this class was the last to be created, it represents Irises that are the earliest of their kind. Someday many of these crosses may go on to develop into classes that warrant their own category. All the hybrid classes such as tall-bearded or standard dwarf had their beginnings in those first crosses between two species. Some crosses between species have been so rewarding they have been repeated creating substantial subgroups like Sino-Siberians and Calsibes. This is a class of experimentation and innovation that helps us learn about species and the possibilities for the future. The highest award for this class is the Randolph-Perry Medal.