Mass Plantings for a Breathtaking Display

Irises are the ultimate collector's plant. Those of us smitten with the "iris virus" drool over the newly introduced varieties in iris catalogs, surf the online catalogs of iris sellers for hours, and compile endless lists of irises we must add to our ever-expanding collections. As a result, there is very little space in our gardens for mass plantings of a single variety. We divide our clumps and keep them small to conserve precious garden space for the flowers arriving in the next order.

This predilection of iris lovers makes it unusual to see a single variety of iris in a mass planting in the garden. What a shame. There is nothing as breathtaking as a garden filled with masses of flowering irises.

Marte Hult has elevated the use of mass plantings to an artform in her Minnesota garden.

Marte has been gardening at her home since 1974. The garden came equipped with a few "noid" historic irises. (For the novice iris grower, noid means no I.D., an iris whose name is lost or unknown.) Marte's noids have proliferated since, and form the backbone of a spectacular spring display in her garden. 

 

Sometimes a noid is the result of a nursery or gardener mix-up. This may be 'Cranberry Swirl,' or maybe it isn't. Either way, its value in the garden is unmistakable. 

Marte also grows modern tall bearded and Siberian irises en masse. Here she uses 'Impressionist' tall bearded iris to excellent effect with Siberian irises.

The art of layering plants is demonstrated here by Marte's beds: 

Marte with her noid yellow historics:  irises that will take your breath away.

Do you have a mass planting of irises? If you get the time, take a photo of it and send it to me at renee.fraser@gmail.com and I will put them together on this blog.  We'll have a nice show of irises to keep us all going until Spring bloom.

Iris Classics: 'Dolly Madison'

Cooley's Gardens catalog for 1937 described it as "Without doubt one of the best irises ever originated and one of the most popular in the country." Robert Wayman's catalog in 1940 stated "The exceedingly high rating given this new blend places it in the highest rank as one of the world's finest Iris." They were speaking of the wonderful old iris 'Dolly Madison'.


This classic variety is very tall, easily reaching three feet in my garden. It is hardy everywhere, has excellent growth habits and blooms reliably. The strong stems carry many large blooms beautifully. The flowers themselves are a lovely combination of soft mauve standards over lilac falls, with bright gilded hafts and an orange beard. In shadow it is a somber palette, often being described as having a touch of grey to it, but in sunlight it glows with pink and gold tones. It is one of the masterful creations of E.B. Williamson, of Bluffton, IN, and was introduced in 1926 to wide acclaim. Why such a well regarded iris did not garner higher awards than an Honorable Mention in its introductory year is a mystery.


The Longfield Iris Farm catalog for 1930 describes it as:

"Tall bearded. It is free flowering and vigorous in growth and has been admired without exception by all who have seen it. We believe it will become one of the most popular of all Irises. It has a distinction of carriage and form that will appeal to all Iris lovers. Height 36 inches, stalk well branched, 7 to 11 flowers. Flowers large, 4½ inches high and 5 inches wide. Standards arching cupped; very broadly obovate; Mauvette shading out to yellow at the base. Falls flaring; very broadly wedge shaped; Lilac, haft golden tinged and Maroon veined; beard bright orange. Style branches Mauvette, sides yellow. We have raised many thousand seedlings with Lent A. Williamson as seed parent and of these we have under observation at the present time about 100 varieties. Dolly Madison is our first introduction from this series."

When Mr. Williamson was looking for a name for his new creation its similarity in coloration to another classic iris called 'Quaker Lady' gave the inspiration to name it for the beloved First Lady, who had been raised a Quaker. It was a fine choice and a fitting tribute. 'Dolly Madison' was at the top of the favorites list for many years after it was introduced. It was not only a great all around garden plant, but was used by many hybridizers and became an important variety for later improvements in irises. For instance, it was one of a few varieties that were integral in founding Dave Hall's breeding program that brought us tangerine beards and the famous 'Flamingo pinks'. All of its acclaim and high regards were well deserved, and 'Dolly Madison' remains a true iris classic.

Update: Via Facebook, Jim Morris tells us: "It is interesting to note that although this was supposedly named for President Madison's wife, hybridizer B.F. [sic] Williamson misspelled her first name. She spelled it Dolley not Dolly"

IRISES, January 2012 Issue

Inside IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society

Here's the scoop: this is a wonderful issue of Irises, and if you can, as much as possible, you should share this delight with your friends and family. If you are receiving this via Facebook, be sure to click on the link to see the original blog post, you'll be glad you did. The front cover, a picture of 'Cajun Rhythm' that Rene Fraser took at her Southern California garden is spectacular. I don't really know how anyone looking at it cannot be moved. Also, if you click on the blog post you will see a much larger picture than you would on Facebook.

The details:

• Front cover: a delicious picture of 'Cajun Rhythm' (Schreiner's 1996) taken by our own blogger Renee Fraser
• My Favorite Irises by Nyla Hughes
• Double, Double, Toyle and Trouble by Bob Hollingsworth (an expanded article that originally appeared in this blog)
• Planting Combinations: Irises in the Garden by Renee Fraser, Debbie Hughes and Brenda Fox (also an expanded article that orignally appeared on this blog)
• An Iris Lover: Twenty-five Years on My Knees by Hybridizer Marky Smith
• The Wonderful Wizard of Auz: A Week at Tempo Two with Barry Blyth by LLee Heflin
• 2011 AIS Photo Contest Winners
• 2011 Tall Bearded Iris Symposium (popularity list)

And much, much more, such as:

Lots and lots of full-color pictures
Information on the 2012 Annual Convention at Ontario, CA
AIS President's letter Judith Keisling
IRISES' Editor letter Kelley D. Norris
Milestones, Remembering Salt-of-the Earth Members, and Sections Happenings by Jim Morris
Youth Views by Cheryl Deaton

American Iris Society members registered for e-membership already have access to this great issue via our website, and for those who receive it via mail, the issue is on its way.

Be sure to give us your feedback, comments and article recommendations in the Comments section below, via Facebook, or write to us.

Andi Rivarola
The American Iris Society
Social Media Manager
andinsky@gmail.com

Plicata Tall Bearded Irises

The most interesting patterns in irises for me has always been the plicatas. I have always had lots of success with crosses for these patterns and lots of surprises along the way. I will, however, be truthful when I say that some patterns just aren't particularly hot sellers in the commercial world. I look at other hybridizers work and I am very impressed with new accomplishments and I am anxious to add them to our retail growing fields to sell. Many times I am disappointed when they don't sell in any volume. As a hybridizer and retail grower, I have learned to understand this quandary. New advancements in iris breeding aren't always popular, but they are so important to the overall iris industry.

I guess you can say I am a hybridizer that has a few years under my belt. 2012 will mark my 32nd year to be dabbing pollen. I think after all of this time, I have settled down to where I want to go with my efforts. Several years ago I really started working with plicatas. My first crosses were made with wild color combinations. Pink plicatas on purple, brown on purple, etc. My first surprises were, these seedlings were not ugly. Many came in colors that were very pleasing to the eye and many came in color combinations that I knew already existed. At this point, I realized that someone had already tried some of these crosses.

Next I began to look at the borders on introduced varieties and my seedlings. I found out there are plicatas with borders of two colors. Some of these can be quite definite in contrast. I talked to other hybridizers and most said yes, they also had noticed the borders, but most had not really worked alot in that direction of hybridizing. So my goal was established. I wanted to try to produce plicatas with several distinct bands of different colored borders. Again, I was told by some hybridizers, it was no big deal, because they already existed. No, they don't exist like I want them to be. I want the falls on plicatas to have two or more, wide, distinct, color bands that are a knockout contrast to the basic fall color.

My thought is to cross some of these wonderful new banded bicolors that are now on the market with modern plicatas and roll the dice. My crosses are already made and being grown off. The first seedlings will bloom this year.

There has been some discussion in hybridizer circles that the position of plicata markings on the petals can be transferred in crosses. In other words, a plicata with narrow color borders very close to the edges should throw some seedlings with the same defined edges. I have a new seedling, R-125-A, that has a very defined plicata pattern around the beards only. I have made a number of crosses with named varieties of plicatas that have definite bold plicata edges and clean backgrounds around the beards. These seedlings should establish my theory as to whether the two patterns on the falls can be combined into one. In my opinion, these seedlings will open the door to many new possibilities in plicata patterns. Many plicata varieties already exist that have patterns in varying positions on the falls and standards.

Ask any knowledgeable tall bearded hybridizer where the future is headed and they will tell you that plicatas are the answer. If you are starting out in tall bearded iris hybridizing, get on the boat, you won't be sorry. God Bless you and your gardens and thanks for listening.

Respectfully,
Jim Hedgecock

Iris Classics: 'Purissima'

Sometimes an iris variety comes along that is simply revolutionary, thru its beauty and genetics it inspires hybridizers, and it becomes a focal point for further improvement. The classic iris 'Purissima' may be the quintessential example of this, as most every modern white or blue iris has this variety somewhere in its background.


'Purissima' is the result of a cross between 'Argentina' and 'Conquistador', which share the pollen parent mesopotamica using pod parents 'Caterina' and 'Juniata', respectively. It was created by William Mohr and introduced after his untimely passing by Sidney B. Mitchell, who recognized its outstanding features.

'Purissima' was renowned for its large flowers of flawless white tone, exceptional branching and tall stalks, which sometimes reached 50-60 inches high. It was far and away better than other whites of its day. It did have one major flaw - a tenderness to cold, making it difficult to grow outside the mild climates of the south and the west coast of the US. Its good points, however, more than made up for this problem. Carl Salbach wrote in his 1936 catalog:

"This splendid flower still sets a mark of perfection and purity unequaled by any other iris. A pure white of great poise, fine form and heavy substance. With the sun shining through it, this has the appearance of frosted glass. Ideal branching. Early. 50-inch."

As renowned as 'Purissima' is in its own right it is even more important for the progeny created from its genes. The most famous is probably 'Snow Flurry', which is in the background of most modern tall bearded irises and may arguably be one of the most important varieties in the history of iris breeding. Not to be overshadowed is Eva Faught's light blue 'Cahokia' (from a line involving 'Purissima', 'Santa Barbara' and 'Santa Clara'), which was one of the main progenitors of both the modern blue lines and whites as well.

'Purissima' is another classic iris from the amazing gardens of Mr. Mohr that were saved by Mr. Mitchell, and our modern iris palette would be poorer without their efforts and keen eye. Its importance in iris history can't be overstated, and it remains today a wonderful garden plant for those in climes where it is happy.

The Kindness of Others

      In a time when even the accomplishments of the American Iris Society's prominent leaders and hybridizers from the past are dissolving into the mist and are being lost since they have not been written down or recorded in oral histories, the role of Sir Andrew Aguecheek's lesser folks--the people who were so important on a local level to irises--in shaping the future has been totally overlooked. As I look back on 50 years of AIS membership, I am impressed with the role of the kindness of others, but few of those people are even remembered by their local societies.

      A major hybridizer in his own right, David Hall helped so many other people through the kindness of providing seedlings for others to use.  In the 1930s many thought that really pink irises were impossible, but not David F. Hall of Wilmette, Illinois. Over the years, he did create pinks and became known for his famous flamingo pink lines. Not only did he expand the iris color pallet, but he also was kind enough to allow others to use his seedlings along with his named varieties. From his early work and from his kindness of sharing his breeding work with others, another generation would build—in Illinois both Orville Fay and Nate Rudolph would, justifiably, become famous for their pinks; in Utah Tell Muhlestein had access to Hall's seedling 42-10 and created his wonderful pinks June Meredith, Pink Enchantment, and Pink Fulfillment.

      Today we tend to think of Maynard Knofp's role in hybridizing, but his wife Mary Ellen started the Knopf lines that were later to blossom under Maynard and one of the youngsters of the day that visited the garden was from Santa Cruz—Joe Ghio. When Paul Cook's Whole Cloth was new, rare, and expensive, Mary Ellen gifted Joe with an anther of pollen—note that due to the scarcity it was one anther. He took that home and used it, later introducing Mount Eden--one of the foundation parents of his bicolor lines--and was started down the path that would later result in his Dykes winner Mystique. It was due to the kindness of others.

'Mystique' (Ghio) Williamson image

      In my own case as a young teenager interested in irises, I did not have the money to buy new introductions—mainly offered at that time at the princely sums of $20.00 and $25.00 each. At one of the first Clara B. Rees Iris Society shows that I attended, Dr. Maurice Peel, a former local president and dentist, gave me the stalk of the new and expensive Rippling Waters to take home. I did take it home and when new flowers opened used the pollen on Dawn Crest—undoubtedly an iris that Bernice Roe had given me—and that was the start of my Words of Love line.

'Rippling Waters' (Fay) Williamson image

'Words of Love' (Williamson) Williamson image

      Although events and my memory have misted the past, I strongly suspect that Bess Harbour, one of Hazel and Auda Steward's sisters, gave me Mary McClellen and when I used that first with Whole Cloth and then the resulting seedling to the premier blue plicata of the day, Rococo, I was started down the road to neglecta and bicolor plicatas. My last introduction, Shades of Meaning, traces back to Bess's kindness. Bess was always willing to have me come and visit and talk irises, though that meant my parents had to have errands in that part of town (when San Jose still had a viable downtown) and I was always welcome except when she and her husband, Roy, were listening to baseball games on the radio.

'Rococo' (Schreiner's) Williamson image

'Shades of Meaning' (Williamson) Williamson image

      The little acts of kindness turn out to be like stones dropped into water—they ripple out and have effects over decades.

Iris Classics: 'Coronation'

Yellow irises were always a popular hybridizing goal in the early years and many were introduced. Most were small flowered and short and breeders worked for decades to deepen the color, enlarge the flowers and add height to the bloomstalk. It was slow going. One of the best early ones was 'Coronation'. A creation of Mrs. John Beverly (Connie) Moore of Benton, IL, it was introduced in 1927 to rave reviews.


Tho not a large flower it was larger than most yellows of its day and it had two other traits going for it as well - height and color! In my garden it will bloom early on stalks around 40" in height. A reliable bloomer, the flowers are profuse and in cool temps are a very deep golden yellow, while buds opening in warm temps tend to be lighter. The beards are a matching shade of yellow. Because of the profusion of blooms it tends to put on a long display. It is a wonderful variety for mass plantings in long drifts.


Another feature, which some may think detracts, is the tendency to have a light dusting of purple freckles around the upper fall area. They seem more prominent during cool temps and not so noticeable when buds open on warm days. I think they are cute and always watch for them.


'Coronation' is a very hardy iris that thrives just fine in neglect and so is often seen growing around the US. It is one of the most common irises sent to me for ID. This would be an ideal variety for those with very tough climates. In addition to the wonderful traits already mentioned it also has great purple based foliage (pbf) which adds interest even when the flowers aren't around. 'Coronation' has it all, and is truly an iris classic.

The Magnificent Iris

          By Jim Murrain

Iris magnifica is a bulbous iris in the subgenus Scorpiris. These iris are best known as Juno iris or just Junos. Iris magnifica is the largest of the Junos often reaching over two feet tall. It flowers in late March to early April in Kansas City, Missouri with up to seven flowers per stem. Each flower has large falls with pronounced 'wings' at the hafts and large, upright style arms. The standards are small narrow and weak and usually relax inconspicuously between the falls.

It thrives in my climate and has survived -20ºF without snow cover in winter and well over 100ºF in summer including the occasional summer thunder storm.

Many people upon seeing a Juno iris for the first time will remark on the superficial similarity with a corn plant. Indeed the alternating ranks of vee shaped leaves do resemble a corn plant and the flower buds appear to mimic ears of corn. This iris is usually a very pale lavender or white with hints of lavender. The pure white form is called Iris magnifica 'Alba'. It is truly an arresting sight to see a large clump of I. magnifica 'Alba' in full bloom.

 This iris hales from the mountains of Central Asia and requires cold winters and good drainage to prosper. Surprisingly, this largest of the Juno irises is also among the easiest to grow, tolerating and even thriving in less then ideal conditions. Although it is now one of the most common Junos cultivated it wasn't scientifically described until 1935 so it was unknown to Dykes when he wrote his book 'The Genus Iris'. I have never seen any insect damage on it but deer will browse it to the soil level and gophers can eat the bulbs. I. magnifica is relatively easy to grow from seed but bulbs are not expensive. Even in  my tough climate, self sown seedlings pop up here and there. It  also makes a regular appearance on the annual SIGNA  seed exchange.

Besides 'Alba' another common form is 'Agalik', a very light blue with excellent form. The forms are well worth seeking out but even seed grown plants are "Magnificent" in the garden.

A New Year - A New Opportunity

And the world turned once again, so we’re starting a new year. Hope you’ve had a chance to surround yourself with your loved ones during the holiday season, and that your list of New Year resolutions is one that includes receiving lots of love in your life.

'Ruby Slippers'

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for being part of our Word of Irises, and for your continuous support. March of 2011 saw the creation of this blog and an unexpected success. Just this week, this blog’s page views surpassed 20,000, which is a very significant sign about the interest on irises and one that we would like to react to in a manner that is meaningful to you, our audience. So, keep in touch, look around, make comments, and give us your input so we can bring better articles, better pictures and more of what you’d like to see.

'Ships Are Sailing'

A most grateful acknowledgement to the actual bloggers without whose help the AIS Blog could no be possible: Mike Unser, Renee Fraser, Jim Hedgecock, Jim Murrain, Griff Crump, Debbie Strauss, Bob Hollingworth, Bryce Williamson and Betty Wilkerson. I also thank those that helped us even if temporarily.

And, a surprise report on the current top ten countries that have become our audience, in order of number of viewers/readership:

• United States
• Canada
• Romania
• Russia
• France
• United Kingdom
• Argentina
• Italy
• Spain
• Germany 

What is the meaning of this? Perhaps you can help us explain it. What does it tell us? We will be analyzing and sharing with you soon.

Personally, last year was a successful one, with all the activities that have become part of my life, locally and nationally, in my personal world and to the technology and social media world. If I were to summarize it, I could do it by expressing my appreciation for one very important event: the Victoria Convention. It was one I will never forget and one that I still need to mention here because it is so present in my heart and mind. From the detailed work by its organizers, volunteers and staff to the daily joy of seeing each garden on the tours, to simply staying at the Empress Hotel - what a great convention. It was put together so well that my experience was one of fulfillment, it made my year. (I’m sharing a few more pictures from that experience here.)

'Hot Fudge'
'Prince of Burgundy'
'Ask Alma' 

In the meantime, it is 2012 and the countdown to spring has begun, which means, down in the dirt, into the roots, that energy that says “it’s time,” is brewing, bubbling, and so are the plans for a successful bloom in all of our gardens, and we, out here, can’t wait to see it all manifest itself in front of our eyes, once gain, in all it’s glory.

Happy gardening.

'Easy'

Photo detail:
All photos taken at Salt Spring Island's Baker's Garden during the Victoria Convention. For descriptions please click on names below.

• ‘Ruby Slippers' (Keith Keppel, R. 2002).
• 'Ships are Sailing' (Marty Schafer/Jan Sacks, R. 1998). 
• 'Hot Fudge' (Ben Hager, R. 1982). 
• ‘Prince Of Burgundy' (O. David Niswonger, R. 1992). 
• 'Ask Alma' (C. Lankow, R. 1986). 
• 'Easy' (Jim & Vicki Craig, R. 2005). 

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, and best wishes for a very Happy New Year to everyone that has followed our blog World of Irises this past year. Without our readers there would be no point. Thank you. Here are a couple of irises named for this day. First up - a beautiful historic variety from the 1960's:


[Photo courtesy Laetitia Munro]
'Christmas Time' - Schreiner, R. 1964, I. 1965. From Schreiner's Iris Lover's catalog for 1966: "A flashing thick red beard on a white iris makes the petals look even whiter. And when an iris is absolutely snow white to start with the intensification of frosty brilliance resulting creates a cynosure of beauty like sunshine on new fallen snow. Such an iris is Christmas Time. Tall, soldier straight stems, 3 branches per stem and lots of buds with florets all lavishly laced and ruffled. Uncommon, too, is the vigorous growth for an iris of this color."

(White sport of May Hall X Arctic Flame), HM 1966, AM 1968.


[Photo by Mike Unser, taken at Mid-America Gardens]
'Santa' - (George Shoop by Keith Keppel, R. 1997, I. 1998). TB 34" M.
Standards blended cream strongly flushed peach buff in center; style arms deeper orange buff; Falls warm white, shoulders with large thumbprint overlay of pinkish salmon buff, petal reverse cream buff; beards poppy red; ruffled; slight sweet fragrance. (Tropical Magic X sib).

Those of you who have followed my posts know I am not a fan of the modern iris form, however this iris was of such a remarkable color pattern it really caught my eye and was one of the few I photographed during a visit to Mid-America Gardens back in 2005.

There are numerous varieties named with a Christmas theme. A whole bed could be done in nothing but them. Perhaps in your garden? I'd love to see it. All the best from AIS to you and yours this holiday season! May 2012 be even better for us all.

What is Rebloom?

Iris shows have been among my favorite events for well over two decades. I’m the gabby type and love to talk to new people at the shows. Sharing is what it’s all about and I really like to infect others with the iris virus. When they hear I breed rebloomers, their first question is “What is that?” Then, they often say, “I’ve never heard of them!”

According to the American Iris Society Judge’s Handbook, “A reblooming iris (usually marked RE) is one that blooms in the spring and again in the same growing season.” They can appear in all iris classes. My twenty six years of work as a hybridizer has been focused on rebloom in the tall bearded class for zone 6. I reserve the right to chase distractions!

Rebloom is categorized according to the arrival of that additional bloom season. Currently, there are at least four different rebloom classes based on their rebloom behavior. This is important since all types will not rebloom in some climates.

Repeat bloomers usually put up additional stalks about six weeks after the spring season. My ‘Summer Radiance’ creates a lot of interest when it blooms in July. The bright shiny yellow blooms can be seen for a great distance.

Summer Radiance (Wilkerson 1996) 

Cycle rebloomers have a distinct second season of bloom in the fall. It usually follows a fall rain and cooler temperatures. In my zone 6, southern Kentucky, most cycle rebloomers open around October 1. A good example would be my own ‘Radiant Bliss.’ Louisville is more than a hundred miles north of my garden and they get fall rebloom earlier due to their earlier fall weather.

Radiant Bliss (Wilkerson 2005)

Sporadic rebloomers produce unpredictable bloom stalks at varying times. These are the ones I call warm climate rebloomers. They do well in the southern tier of states, the west coast, and Australia. They rarely show reblooming tendencies in colder climates. When they bloom off season here, I’m like a kid in a candy store! Just as thrilling are the reports of rebloom on some of my non-reblooming children once they move to California. Both ‘Gilded Cream’ (Wilkerson 1995) and ‘Color Me Mysterious’ (Wilkerson 2011) are from rebloom breeding and have rebloomed in California.

Gilded Cream (Wilkerson 1995)

Color Me Mysterious (Wilkerson 2011)

Endowed with stronger rebloom genes, multiple blooming irises have the genetic ability to bloom any time from spring through the first hard freeze. They were called ever blooming in the past, but this was misleading, as people expected them to bloom constantly from spring thru fall. Another term you may hear is whenever bloomers. They have this ability, but most will not automatically bloom this second time.

I’ve posted a couple of photos of multiple (summer) irises growing and blooming with dahlias as proof they do bloom here in July and August, although it’s not a guarantee. ‘Immortality’ (Zurbrigg 1982) is with the red dahlias and ‘Returning Chameleon’ (Wilkerson 1995) with pastel dahlias. ‘Immortality’ is the pollen parent of ‘Returning Chameleon.’

Immortality (Zurbrigg 1982)

Returning Chameleon (Wilkerson 1995) 

With all rebloomers, much is determined by cultural practices and climate. In my zone 6 garden, it’s important to fertilize after the spring bloom and also to keep the plants well watered. If they do not receive approximately one inch of water every ten days or so they will go dormant and this will stop the rebloom. I recommend soaker hoses so the foliage doesn’t get wet in the hot summers.

The spring only bloomers need to go dormant for the summer and may (often) rot under the very conditions that rebloomers require. Again, water and extra fertilizer create extended summer growth which can and does create rot in many spring only blooming irises. If you grow several rebloomers, it would be best to grow your rebloomers separate from the spring only irises.

On a personal level, I consider rebloomers to be garden irises. I make a conscious effort to promote good branching in my seedlings, just in case they make it to an AIS sanctioned show either spring or fall. It’s rare that rebloomers are seen at the National Convention Gardens, or in spring shows. “Why is this?” you ask. Timing! Most rebloomers have an early spring season and have finished blooming by the time the shows and the tours take place. In the off season, they are the stars of the garden.

For the record, I don’t go crazy over terminology. I will report rebloom in this way, “It’s blooming now, or it bloomed at this time.” There are no guarantees with rebloomers. Mine is a difficult climate. I get excited over maiden (first) bloom in an off season, even though I know it may never rebloom again. I’m depressed at the end of spring bloom season and I dislike the first freeze each fall. I’m such an iris addict that I welcome, encourage, and enjoy an iris blooming at any time. Sometimes I think the breeding program is just a way to stay involved in irises year round!

How did I get involved in reblooming irises? In 1982, the Henry Field’s catalog listed “fall irises!” This was my introduction to reblooming irises. Thus, my obsession began. If you love irises, why not grow the type that blooms a second and sometimes a third time per year? If I had my way, everyone would grow and breed rebloomers. Don’t you agree?

There are Internet sites, including the American Iris Society, where you can increases your knowledge of irises in general. Many things, including the iris encyclopedia and commercial links, are available through the AIS site.  There is a Reblooming Iris Society devoted to rebloomers specifically. There are archives in place for both iris talk and iris photos, online email lists about irises.  These archives contain a really good supply of iris information with a search engine. Good reading for the winter season.  

Double or Just Trouble?

In a previous blog we talked about doubling the chromosome number in Siberians to produce tetraploids. Now I’d like to talk about another kind of doubling - doubling the petal number. When we use “double” as a description of a flower this is actually not very precise. Generally it would mean more than usual number of petals and not a strict doubling of all the flower parts. However, at least three different effects can cause this increase in petal count in Siberians (I'm using "petals" here to include both petals (standards) and sepals (falls)). The resulting flowers look quite different from each other. Probably you could see the same effects in other irises, but we’re into Siberians here. The three routes to “doubling” are:

1. The reproductive parts of the plant (stamens, stylearms, ovary) are converted to petal--like structures (petalloids). Example 1 shows a seedling where this is the predominant effect.
2. Flowers are hose-in-hose where a second (or more) flower grows up inside the first one. This can be seen in example 2 with a second complete flower growing up inside the first. Incidentally, this iris was introduced recently as Double Play.
3. The flower has six falls through the conversion of the normal three standards into falls and with the sexual parts of flower unchanged. Example 4 shows this effect (introduced as Six Love) but we won’t be talking about it further here.

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

The first two effects can be created by the same mutation – a master gene that turns on the machinery to produce ovary, styles and stamens loses its activity and the master gene controling petal formation in the same cell comes alive and takes over, so we get lots of extra petal-like structures at the expense of the reproductive parts. The same master gene is also responsible for making sure that only one flower is produced from each terminal flower meristem. When it loses its function this means that more than one meristem can produce flowers, hence the hose-in-hose, multiple flower effect.  The 6- fall trait is caused by a different mutation that acts specifically in controlling production of the standards (petals). These effects can occur together complicating things further in terms of flower structure.

So that’s the basics of how it happens, but why get excited about it? Well, everyone likes variety and mutipetal flowers are very popular in many of the major ornamental groups e.g. Japanese iris, peonies, dahlias, lilacs, roses, petunias, and daffodils. More petals more flower power. Oh, by the way did you spot that the photo in example 3 is a daffodil and not an iris? The control of flower form is similar across most, if not all, flowering plants and the same kinds of mutations occur so that we see these related multipetal effects everywhere.

In addition to the extra fullness, several special effects are possible with multipetals including repeating expression of falls with strong blaze signals as in Kaboom (Bauer-Coble, 2001: Example 5), or alternating layers of color when you have a hose-in-hose structure in a bicolor or amoena iris (color/white/color/white sequence) as shown with the seedlings in examples 6 (not fully open) and 7.  These need further development but the effects already make some novel and rather beautiful flowers.

Example 5

Example 6

Example 7

Mulipetal (double) flowers have long been known but have not always been appreciated. The famous French naturalist Rousseau said in his “Letters on the Elements of Botany” (1787, 2^nd Ed.)   “Whenever you find them double do not meddle with them, they are disfigured; or if you like, dressed in our fashion: nature will no longer be found among them; she refuses to reproduce anything from monsters thus mutilated, for if the more brilliant parts of the flower, namely the corol, be multiplied, it is at the expense of the more essential parts, which disappear under this addition of brilliancy”

Rousseau has hit on a real problem here. At least with the current multipetal Siberians, it would be wonderful if every flower looked the same and was as well organized as the ones in the photos, but sadly, that isn’t so. Every flower on the plant may be different, and some can be less organized in form and quite untidy. Why is this? The probable answer is that there are two copies of the genes for each trait in diploid plants. In the case of multipetal Siberians only one of these two genes is in the mutated state and the other is “normal”, so these two control systems fight it out in each flower – sometimes the mutant form predominates and the flower is almost fully doubled and seems symmetrical; in other cases the normal gene tends to compete better (for unknown reasons) and the flower is less double and quite mixed up in its structure. Only by finding a way to get both these genes in the mutated (inactive) form can one put this battle to rest and expect to get fully double flowers every time. And this is not so easy to do when the reproductive parts of the flower, especially the ovaries, are heavily modified or not present! There is some pollen on the sides of the petalloids at times which is active and allows crosses to be made quite readily with standard Siberians, but, so far, crosses with mutipetals as the pod parents have been unsuccessful – and these plants never seem to produce bee pods either. So should we redouble our efforts to get these potentially perfect (and perfectly sterile) multipetal forms or is it more trouble than it’s worth?

Iris Classics: 'Frost And Flame'

While looking for an iris to highlight for you this week that might be appropriate to the season I thought of my old favorite 'Frost And Flame'. It seems a perfect fit for this cold and dark time of the year, as we await the changing of the seasons and return of sunshine and spring blooms.


'Frost And Flame' is just one of the hundreds of beautiful irises created by legendary hybridizer David F. Hall. He is most remembered for his lines of Flamingo pinks which revolutionized the iris color palette and this lovely tangerine bearded white came from the same breeding program. Introduced to the iris world in 1957, the flowers are large and of a pure snow white with a flaming tangerine beard glowing like an ember at the heart. Of good substance and flaring form, it is a tall variety easily reaching four feet in good conditions, and blooms early in the tall bearded season. It attained a well deserved Award of Merit from AIS in 1959.


Dave Hall in his garden. Photo by Robert Schreiner.
David F. Hall was born in Blenheim, Ontario, Canada, on August 15, 1875. At a young age he moved to the United States and became an attorney for AT&T. He retired at 65, relocated from Chicago to Wilmette, Illinois, and devoted himself full time to flower hybridizing. The world is richer for his efforts. He introduced some 300 irises and daylilies from the 1920's through the 1960's. He was 93 years of age when he was struck and killed by a train in 1968.


'Frost And Flame' has the wonderful ability to look good with just about any other color of iris. It compliments variegatas and pastels alike, and made a particularly good show in my garden a few years ago when a red and yellow columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) grew beside it and bloomed profusely about the clump. It is truly an iris classic and is as beautiful in the iris garden today as it was when it made its debut over half a century ago.

UPDATE: On the AIS Facebook page Tom L. Waters comments: "It's a lovely iris, and also a great example of the power of a good name. "Frost and Flame" is dramatic, descriptive, and unforgettable. I'm sure every hybridizer of a red-bearded white since has bemoaned the fact that the best name has been taken." So true! One of the things that truly makes an iris a classic is a great name to go along with outstanding beauty and performance. 'Frost And Flame' has it all! Thanks for the reminder, Tom.

Going Green

      I have never been a great fan of green irises or caught up in the attempt to hybridize them, though I do like green as a color in cymbidium orchids; however, when I became the selector and introducer for the Roe irises, it was an immersion in green. At a later date, Edith Coscarelly turned over to me Bernice Roe's slim stud book—I had been there at the inception of her record keeping since my first summer job was digging orders from her at the garden on Bird Avenue. I was paid minimum wage, given a sandwich at lunch, an afternoon nap, and, best of all, at the end of the season I could take home all the extras that were left over.

Bernice Roe in the Coscarelly Garden c. 1978--Maryott image

      Bernice did a couple of things that were odd. For many years, she kept the names of all varieties at the back row, instead of at the front of the plant. Needless to say with all other gardens in the area labeling from the front, it created some confusion. Her garden tags were redwood stakes marked in liquid embroidery—how is that for a blast from the past and down memory lane? It was that summer that I convinced Bernice to start to keep real records and she did, although she had already been making crosses for many years most likely from the early 1950s.

      Until I worked for her, Bernice kept all parentage on stakes—there were no paper records. At first it did not seem like a big deal until her obsession for green and, especially, green amoenas started to give results. In the end, we introduced two good green amoenas, Vernal Falls and Misty Moonscape, and one cream-white with green toned shoulders, Irish Spring—the one that I like best. When it finally came time to register these irises, the garden stakes were missing and Bernice, insisting that sooner or later the stakes would turn up, could only give me a general idea of what she had crossed. She was sure she had used Jean Steven's Pinnacle and only thought she had used Summit. In the mix had gone the green irises of the time—Lyon's Char-Maize , Cool Valley, Singing Pines from Plough, and others varieties. We did know for sure that she had used Piety; possibly DeForrest's tangerine bearded Francis Kent.

     The stakes, of course, never showed up and the exact parents are a mystery as is the ability of the three irises mentioned above to produce F1 tangerine beards in their seedlings. Bernice's green could be tender in cold climates and I suspect that is due to Char-Maize. If nothing more, this muddle is a cautionary tale for all hybridizers to keep good records.

Irish Spring (Roe) Williamson image

Vernal Falls (Roe) Williamson image

      When I came to write about Bernice's green breeding I realized there was also a larger picture that many of the hybridizers in the 1950s made with white x brown crosses, thinking those crosses would produce green. The important Knopf irises go back to white x brown crosses. And the original white x brown crosses are now behind a wide variety of different colors.  Other hybridizers used different approaches to green breeding with good results.  For many years, Neva Sexton always said she wanted to create a goose green flower—to understand what she meant, it is necessary to remember that geese have a front and back end; however, none of Neva's green attempts were every named and sold. Early in his hybridizing career, Joe Ghio produced good green approaches—Meadow Mist and Oasis came to my mind. Other hybridizers would continue to pursue and continue to hybridize for green—Noyd's Pride of Ireland was popular for many years and just recently Schreiner's won an AM on County Cork, a greenish-yellow.

County Cork (Schreiners) Williamson image