'Woolong' wins 2013 Founders of SIGNA Medal

By Jim Murrain

The 2013 Founders of SIGNA Medal is awarded to...

'Woolong' collected and named by James Waddick of Missouri.

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

'Woolong' (James Waddick, R. 2001). SPEC (tectorum), height 10" (25 cm), Mid bloom season. Blue violet, falls with darker spots and flecks, white signal and crest; style arms paler blue violet. Collected in wild, Woolong Valley, Sichuan, China, 1989. Iris City 2002. HM 2006, Award of Merit 2010. 

The photos are of the original collection site and taken by James Waddick.

This is Jim's third win of this prestigious medal.

For information about this award go here.

Following is a brief description of Waddick's finding of Iris tectorum 'Woolong'.

In the summer of 1988, Jim Waddick, Bob Pries and Jim Murrain all thought that some one should go to China and collect some new wild species plants to expand the gene pool. 

It fell on Jim Waddick to go in May 1989, and then the Tiananmein freedom demonstrations started. Straying to the far reaches of the country, Jim and his guides traveled to the famed Woolong Valley of Sichuan Province, best known for its Giant Panda Reserve. 

While driving the only road through this narrow valley, Jim saw some vaguely familiar (but not quite) leaves hanging over the road, and they stopped. There was a huge patch of the crested Iris tectorum, but extending 20 or 30 feet across and looking especially big and husky.

 It all seemed to be a single giant plant connected by years of spreading rhizomes. A few fans were collected and survived in cultivation. It did prove to be an especially vigorous form of this familiar iris and was then named and introduced.

Please visit  the: Species Iris Group of North America website to learn more about growing and identifying the diverse species of Iris.

Perks of the "job"

by Jim Murrain

One of the perks of working with the SIGNA (Species Iris Group of North America) Seed Exchange is meeting people from all over the world that have a keen interest in species Iris.

I sometimes get to see newly collected and named irises like these Chinese selections of Iris tigridia in novel colors. I expect they will become available sometime in the near future.

Also these Japanese seedlings of Iris rossii. 

The first being typical while the next shows a pale blue flower,

a near white flower,

and an attempt at a double flower. 

This only hints at the untapped potential of this species.

I am also privileged to see photos of very rare and beautiful 

Chinese Iris like I. qinghainica,  

Iris collettii,

and this unusual form of Iris barbatula.

There are also many surprises like this Iris that looks like I. tectorum.

Until you see the gigantic foliage. I. tectorum on steroids?

There are also mysterious irises that appear occasionally on a photo taken 

by a tourist not aware that the Iris was unknown to the rest of the world.

This beauty was captured on film in Northeast India. 

Alas, it was not collected and only exists in the wild.

My final entry today is also a mystery. It was sold by a Chinese nursery to an avid collector in Europe as another species. But, this is Iris new to science. The perplexed owner shared it with a friend who was not satisfied with the mystery and searched for a name to no avail. I hope it will soon be named and another Iris species will grace our gardens.

Fortunately it is self fertile and has set several pods this year. 

My fingers are crossed that we will all get to enjoy this new Iris very soon.