Sunday, August 29, 2021

The American Iris Society Announces the 2021 Morgan-Wood Medal Winners

'CAPE COD BOYS' and 'NEPTUNE'S GOLD'

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.

Editor’s Note: Due to the pandemic last year, the American Iris Society Board of Directors suspended garden awards. As a result, and for only this year, two medals will be award in this area. Previous awards winners can be found at https://wiki.irises.org/Main/InfoAwards.

'CAPE COD BOYS' (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks)

'Cape Cod Boys' (Marty Schafer and Jan Sacks, 2009) SIB. Seedling No. S00-67-6, height 27", Midseason bloom and rebloom. Standards blue violet (RHS 94D) ground, dappled, washed and veined darker (84B); style arms light blue-violet (92D); Falls dappled blue-violet (97B), darker dappling and veining and wide band of dark blue-violet (94A) dappling, pale blue-violet edge, signal gold to yellow to pale yellow lightly veined blue violet; slight sweet fragrance. Sibling to 'Waterfall Waltz' X S95-30-1 (sibling to 'Turn A Phrase' x 'In Full Sail'). Joe Pye Weed 2009.

NEPTUNE'S GOLD (Robert Hollingworth)

'Neptune's Gold' (Robert Hollingworth, R. 2013) Seedling 05R6A5. SIB (tet.), 33 (84 cm), Early to midseason bloom. Standards mid-light blue; style arms broad, light blue; Falls mid-dark blue, slightly greyed by yellow underlay, lighter blue rim, distinct round gold signal with blue veins, round, flaring. 'Blueberry Fair' X 02B1A9: (McEwen T687/76(8) x 97A2B22(T): ('Veins of Gold' pod parent x 92E5A4, see 'Doreen Cambray' pod parent)). Ensata 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.