The American Iris Society Announces the 2023 Caparne-Welch Medal Winner

'BLACK OLIVE'

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 'Black Olive'
photo by Mid-America Gardens

'Black Olive' (Paul Black) Seedling #R278E. Height 7.5 in, (19 cm). Late bloom and rebloom. Standards bronze-dark-purple, purple-black midrib and textured veins; style arms mid blue-purple crests and midribs, rose-silver edge; falls red-black, hafts slightly lighter, veined white; beards mid greyed gold in throat, light greyed gold in middle, white end. 146. Parentage 'Fido' sibling X seedling #P146: ('Wish Upon A Star' x 'Bad Intentions'). Introduced by Mid-America Gardens 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 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.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2023 Eric Nies Medal Winner

'HOT CHILI'

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 'Hot Chili'
Photo by Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden

'Hot Chili' (J. Terry Aitken) Seedling #07SPU-2. Height 52" (132 cm). Late midseason bloom. Standards and style arms red chili pepper; falls same, yellow zonal spot, gold dart signal. 'Innovator' X 'Countess Zeppelin'. Introduced by Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden 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 on the AIS website, the AIS Encyclopedia, and later in the AIS Bulletin, IRISES.

The American Iris Society Announces the 2023 Morgan-Wood Medal Winner

'FISHERMAN'S FANCY'

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 'Black Joker'
photo by Mike Unser

'Black Joker' (Marty Schafer and Jan Sacks, R. 2013) Seedling S06-43-1. Height 19 in. (48 cm). Midseason to late bloom. Standards yellow-lavender, violet wash in center, pale yellow edge; style arms pearl with shades of blue-violet and aqua blue; Falls deep yellow-purple, diffuse gold rim, yellow signal heavily veined and speckled very dark purple. 'Hot Sketch' X seedling S02-13-13: (seedling S99-65-12: (seedling S97-36B-1: ('Summer Revels' x 'Tom Schaefer') x seedling S96-67-10, 'Lady's Chain' sibling) x seedling S99-77-1, 'Gone Plummin' pollen parent). Introduced by Joe Pye Weed's Garden in 2013.

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.