Hottest New Louisiana Iris Seedlings

By Ron Killingsworth


When you take pollen from one iris and put it on another iris, you are said to be "hybridizing" an iris or "crossing" an iris.  The pollen is taken from the "pollen parent" and the pollen is placed on the "pod parent".  You might consider the pollen parent the father and the pod parent the mother.  The pod parent is the bloom that is going to be pollinated and will produce the seed pod containing the seeds of the new "cross".  There are a lot of people out there dabbing pollen on irises!  Each cross will produce seeds, if you are lucky, and the seeds, when germinated, will produce "seedlings".  Seedlings are new irises produced by your hybridizing efforts.  The Louisiana (LA) iris seed pods are harvested in about July or August in Louisiana and the seeds are potted up and marked with the identifying data of the cross.  With luck the seeds will germinate in the fall and continue to grow through the first bloom season and on through another year, finally blooming in the second year.  So it takes a couple of years to find out what your cross produced.

The new irises called seedlings are identified by a seedling number until such time as the hybridizer decides the iris is worthy of registration and eventual introduction.  Registration is accomplished through the American Iris Society.  A seedling continues to be classified as a seedling, even after it is named and registered, until it is introduced by offering it for sale and publicizing its availability through a commercial grower, or through your own garden.

Here are some lovely 2011 seedlings from  LA iris hybridizers:

Ron Betzer seedling

Peter Jackson seedling

Peter Jackson seedling

Peter Jackson seedling

Peter Jackson seedling

Pat O'Connor seedling

Pat O'Connor seedling

Rodney Barton seedling

And here are some seedling pictures from the 2012 bloom season.

Joe Musacchia seedling

Pat Norvell seedling

Pat O'Connor seedling

Heather Pryor seedling

Harry Wolford seedling

Dufrene seedling

Dufrene seedling

As you can see, Louisiana irises come in just about every color under the sun.  Now that you are all excited about making some new irises, take at look at the web site of the Society for Louisiana Irises and learn more about hybridizing irises.  Give it a try.  You might just produce the next "Dykes" award winner!

Knightly Pursuits

By J. Griffin Crump

For the last several weeks,  I’ve been engaged in one of the most challenging  --  if not the most challenging  --  aspects of hybridizing, which is finding names for the new introductions.

I hasten to acknowledge that this may be a more difficult task for some than for others.  I have a friend, for instance, who readily offers such suggestions as “Hubcap” or “Fence Post”.  I’ve stopped asking him for help.

The truth is, I’m picky.  If an iris is worthy of introduction, I want it to bear a name that expresses the quality that I see in it.  Admittedly, that’s very subjective.  A hybridizer friend of mine insists, quite prescriptively,  that the name should describe the iris, i.e., the way it looks.  I asked him why, then, did he name one of his irises “Blue Bunny”.  Who’s ever seen a blue bunny?  He said it looked just like a soft toy that he had as a child.  I would never have guessed.  (Don’t look up "Blue Bunny”.  I’ve disguised the name.)

The fact of the matter is that if I had to place a bet, every time, that the name I first choose for a new introduction won’t already have been taken, I’d not only be broke, but deeply in debt.

I have learned the hard way (i.e., by being gently informed by the Registrar that the chosen name appears in the 1939 or 1949 Checklist, which I had forgotten to consult) that if one thinks of a name from the classics of literature or music, it’s almost certain to have been taken already more than half a century ago.  Our predecessors were really enamoured of the classics.  Most recently, I encountered this fact when, stumbling across the name of one of the knights of King Arthur’s round table, I wondered how many of those knights may have graced our gardens over the years.  Setting out on my quest, I scoured the Checklists and found almost the entire court of Camelot!

Now, actually, there were, in the annals, so many knights of the round table that, had they all shown up for a big feed at the same time, they’d have had to eat in shifts  --  unless Merlin might have been called upon to do something about the size of the table.  But withal the abundance of knights, only about a dozen figured prominently in the Arthurian tales, and two-thirds of them are found in the Checklists.

First, of course, is Arthur himself, as ‘King Arthur’ (Kirk, N., R. 1931).  Then 'Gawain' (Burtner, N., R. 1934). 'Sir Galahad' (Shull, 1924) was one of the earliest to appear.  Percivale shows up both as 'Sir Perceval' (Wing, 1937) and in his Wagnerian form as 'Parsifal' (Mor. N., R. 1928).  Tristan, too, is there in his Germanic form of 'Tristram' (Bliss 1919), as well as his beloved Isolde, first as 'Isolde' (Cap. 1902), then as 'Isolda' (Van T. 1916).  The registrars apparently were more forgiving in those days.  And 'Sir Launfal' (Kirk 1939) is there, but not his fairy princess, Tryamour.  Too bad.

Arthur’s sword, 'Excalibur' (Mur. 1925) is there, as is the 'Lady of the Lake' (C.A. Wright, 1948), who gave it to him, under her name 'Viviane' (Cay. 1937) as well, but maybe also as 'Vivian' (Cap. 1902) and 'Vivian II' (Cap. 1901), but surely as 'Fée Viviane' (the fairy Viviane) (Bernard Laporte, R. 2004).  And, unlike all the others above, for her we have a photo!

'Fée Viviane' photo by Alain Franco

                                                                   

Other figures and places of the Arthurian legend are also to be found.  Pendragon (Bliss, 1920), the name borne by both Arthur and his father, Uther.  Merlin (Sturt. 1918), of course.  Morgan Le Fay (Gers. N. R. 1938), the enchantresse, half-sister of Arthur.  And Avalon (Sturt. 1918), the mystical isle to which Arthur is borne fatally wounded.

But, wouldn’t you know, soaking up the limelight comes Lancelot (Bliss, 1919), Sir Lancelot (Gard. And Flow. 232, July 1937), Sir Launcelot (Sass-J. 1935) and, finally Messire Lancelot (Bernard LaPorte, R. 2004) with a photo!

'Messire Lancelot"  Photo by Dejoux

And what would Lancelot be without Guinevere (Barr, 1919), and again Guinevere (Elm Jensen, R. 1986), whom Merlin is said to have brought from Ireland and who wreaked havoc in Camelot.

'Guinevere' Photo by Elm Jensen

Funny, she doesn’t look Irish.
But there you are.

Can you think of any interesting names for new irises?  

Dreaming Pink Siberians

By Bob Hollingworth

Clear pink is a color we do not much associate with Siberians. There is white, blue, violet, lavender, red-violet, purple and now red/yellow blends, but not really a true pink. Pink is the poor relative as a color. Pink in irises can come from one of two sources, either from carotenoid (yellow, orange and pink) pigments or anthocyanins (blue, red, lavender and violet colors). Bearded irises have both types, and so clear pinks are not uncommon – think 'Beverly Sills' for instance. But, so far, there is no evidence for a carotenoid pink in Siberians (or other beardless irises to the best of my limited knowledge). So pink has to come through the anthocyanins, and of course this can give pinkish Siberians, but always with a bluish cast (lavender-pink, orchid-pink) – e.g. 'Pink Haze' (McGarvey, 1980) or 'Mary Louis Michie' (AM Miller, 1995). The fact that there has been little advance in achieving clearer pinks in Siberians in many years suggests that this is not necessarily an easy field to cultivate, but for that reason it is tempting as well as challenging.

'Pink Haze'

As with so many other things, working in this area came to my mind as an afterthought a few years ago when a batch of seedlings seemed to give some marginal improvement in “pinkness”. These still tend to the blue side of pink, but truly I think could be termed peppermint pink. One (09F3A3) is under evaluation for introduction. Perhaps line breeding can slowly improve these further, but I have a few other thoughts about where cleaner and richer pinks might come from.

09F3A3

The pinkest Siberian I ever remember seeing was Pink Haze growing in a far part of our garden in Indiana years ago. It was almost flamingo pink and seemed quite different from the usual color, so I checked the soil pH. For some reason it was 7.5, about the upper limit for Siberians to grow. Maybe that could explain the unusual color shift. So this brings us to the first thought. The color of anthocyanin pigments is quite complex and can be greatly altered by soil pH. Just think how the color of hydrangeas can be changed from pink to blue by adding aluminum salts to the soil. The pigment is the same but when it is complexed with aluminum, it changes from pink to blue. And, to make a hydrangea pinker, increasing soil pH helps, since this limits the uptake of aluminum. Could this be an explanation why Pink Haze looked so pink growing at an unusually high pH?  I guess we’ll never know for certain, but certainly the soil pH can greatly affect flower color. Which raises another question - are pink Siberians pinker here in the Midwest (with generally neutral soils) than on the east or west coasts (often quite acid soils)? A study of the effect of soil pH on Siberian flower color would be an interesting thing to try.

Just as external pH changes these colors, so does the pH inside the cell (which is not directly affected by soil pH). Also, different metals and the interaction with other co-pigment molecules can change color in a complex way that goes well beyond the bounds of this blog. Subtle change in cell pH (as small as 0.1 unit) can cause a surprisingly large change in the blue-pink color balance of flowers. Several tactics could work in theory to take advantage of this to give purer pinks - increased cell acidity, greater uptake of metals (aluminum) etc., but there is no obvious way to control these as a hybridizer, so you can only make promising crosses and hope for a lucky break in seedlings. Perhaps this is not just a pipe dream. There are quite clear pink Japanese irises with similar pigments to those in the Siberians.

10J4A5

I’m hoping that we saw such a break this year with one seedling (10J4A5). This stood out quite strongly in a group of new seedlings as a stronger, clearer deep pink than the others. One year does not a breakthrough make, so we will need to see this bloom again to be sure it wasn’t just a weird aberration in what has been a very weird and nasty growing year, but that’s what makes hybridizing so addictive.

'Fiona'

'Fancy This'

The other means to brighter, pinker pinks is to play a subtle game of combining the current lavender pinks with a light yellow underlay. Too much yellow makes brownish shades that can be interesting but are not the objective.






I think this effect may be what lies behind two recent introductions from Jan Sacks and Marty Schafer, 'Fiona' (2010) and, particularly, 'Fancy This' (2012). To my eye these have a distinctly richer
pink color than previous Siberians. Even more exciting is the thought that if you can get purer pinks with less blue influence through mechanism 1 and then combine this with yellow in mechanism 2, you could head towards true orange. Dreams, dreams.

Favorite Iris Photos of 2012

By Mike Unser

One of my favorite things about growing irises is using them as photographic subjects. The way light plays thru the blossoms as the sun traverses the sky is just magical. I am constantly fascinated with the way the colors can change with the light and the angle the blooms are viewed from - like an ever-changing kaleidoscope. Here are a few of my favorite photos from 2012. Hope you enjoy them. Click on the photos to embiggen.

'Black And Gold' (Kleinsorge, 1943)

'Bryce Canyon' (Kleinsorge, 1944)

'Chiffon Pink' (DeForest, 1945)

'France Kent' (DeForest, 1948)

'Half Magic' (Farmer, 1983)

Irises with foxglove.

Miss Gracie in the iris garden.

Dwarf yellow amoena.

I've found the secret to taking great photos is to take alot of photos so you can get used to how the light and angles work in different settings. For every good one I keep there's 10 that were discarded. Over time the number has gotten lower as I've become more proficient. Why not share your favorite iris photos with us on Facebook?

Siberians and Species Irises: Looking Forward to June

By Renee Fraser

It was a great disappointment to those of us who love irises when the Triennial Siberian and Species Iris Convention had to be postponed for a year.  A mild winter and a record hot early spring forced all of the blooms 4-6 weeks early, so the Convention will be held in June of 2013.  As consolation, I asked  Brock Heilman, a talented photographer and member of the Michigan Iris Society, to share a few photos of the gardens to be featured on next year's trek. 

These are some of the gardens that will be available for tours at this year's convention.

Judy Hollingworth, whose husband Bob is a contributor to this blog and a famous hybridizer of Siberian irises, has created this Eden.

Hollingworth Garden

Hybridizers send their creations to gardens where the Conventions will take place, and growers and hybridizers take care of them, sometimes for several years, to assure a spectacular bloom and a wonderful show of new varieties for the convention attendees.

Guest Irises at the Kaufmann Garden

This is not your father's siberian iris!  Look at the incredible colors being created by iris hybridizers.

'Salamander Crossing' (SIB Schafer/Sacks 1999) 

Novel colors and forms of irises are on display at convention gardens.

'Lakeside Ghost' (SPEC I. laevigata Harris 2012)

Astonishing new color combinations are being developed.

'Tipped In Blue' (SIB Schafer/Sacks 2010)

Hollingworth Garden

This is just a taste of the beauty awaiting you.  We hope to see you at the Convention in June 2013.  

2012 Clarence G. White Medal Award 'Noble Warrior'

By Andi Rivarola

Here's yet another announcement of an AIS medal winner. Hope you like seeing their pictures and descriptions. This is the way I have always dreamed of seeing them, slowly in order to absorb their magnificence one by one.

This time the 2012 Clarence G. White Medal: 'Noble Warrior,' hybridized by Rick Tasco of California.

A complete list of winners in other categories can be found on the AIS website.

Here's a full description of this beautiful iris:

'Noble Warrior' (Richard Tasco, R. 2005) Sdlg. 01-AB-14-10. AB (OGB), 33" (84 cm), EM, Standards are creamy ivory, light yellow midrib and veins that lighten toward edge; style arms golden yellow; Falls are slightly recurved, golden yellow, burgundy red (RHS 187B) veining, darker on hafts and around signal, lightening toward bottom, large round burgundy red signal; beards wide golden yellow in throat, narrow bronzed yellow in middle and end, tipped tiny insignificant burgundy overall; slight musky fragrance. English Eyes X Bagdad's Folly. Superstition 2006. AIS Awards: HM 2008, AM 2010.

Photo by Rick Tasco

I contacted Rick Tasco because I did not have a picture of 'Noble Warrior' to share with all of you, and since I had his attention I also asked him why he decided to work on Arilbred irises and what were his goals. 

Here's what he wrote back:

"I started to hybridize arilbreds because I lived in locations where they grew well, the Valley of the Sun in AZ, and the lower Sierra foothills in Central California.  There aren't many arilbred hybridizers out there and not enough arilbreds are available, so I saw a field that needed more varieties.   I enjoy their unusual patterns and characteristics.

One of my goals in hybridizing arilbreds was to get veins and a large signal on the falls.  'Noble Warrior' is a step towards my goal.  I'm still working for more and bolder veins and a larger signal.  I'm never satisfied."

(AR) Arils

The aril irises include some of the most amazing plants in the genus Iris, from the largest flower (over a foot in length) to tiny dwarfs (the whole plant only a couple of inches high). Arils can also be the most challenging plants to grow, requiring exacting conditions, but the glorious exotic flowers and the pride of achievement compensate for the effort. Arils have been crossed with their easier cousins the true bearded irises to create arilbreds, a separate horticultural class that brings easier culture but retains some of the exotic traits of the pure arils. Arils tend to come from areas of restricted rainfall. They are often referred to as desert iris. But depending on the species these "deserts" can range from high Himalayan plateaus to coastal Mediterranean climates. Most require a dry summer dormancy.

Aril iris are so named because of the fleshy collar on one end of the seed that is believed to be food for ants. When the ants carry it off they plant the seed. Aril Iris have distinctive beards, different from the better known bearded Irises. In some cases the beard may be a broad patch of short hairs that appear like velvet. Many of the Oncocyclus types have large black spots below the beard that rivet the eye. The color palette of the flowers has often been compared to Oriental rugs and may have been an inspiration to the artisans since they both originate in the same parts of the world such as Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, etc.

The Clarence G. White Medal

The highest award given by the American Iris Society strictly to Aril and Arilbred Irises with 1/2 or more aril content

History from Clarence Mahan:

This medal is restricted to irises of one-half or more aril content that clearly exhibit at least two readily recognizable aril flower characteristics as defined and approved by the Aril Society International. It is named in honor of Clarence G. White (1869-1957).

Clarence G. White was born in Cleveland, Ohio. After attending Harvard University, he worked for the White Sewing Machine Company, which had been founded by his father. Later he operated his family's plantation in Florida. His experiments with potato growing in Florida have been credited with being the basis for establishing the potato business in that state. He moved to Hawaii in 1905, and there he owned and operated a large pineapple plantation. He was involved in many philanthropies and civic activities. He moved his family to Redlands, California in 1919, and he began raising flowers and extending his works of civic philanthropy. It was at this time that White developed an interest in and irises.

More on the Clarence G. White Medal, such as its history and past medal winners, can be found on the Iris Wiki.

For more information on AIS Awards, please visit our website.

Spuria News -- Summer 2012

By Andi Rivarola

Presenting the latest edition of Spuria News, the Newsletter of the Spuria Iris Society, published twice a year and available to Spuria Society members.

Here are few of the topics on this edition:

2012 Eric Nies Medal Winner, and Other Awards
Spuria Fundraiser for 2012
This, That and a Few Other Things, by Brad Kasperek
Which Comes First: The Flower or The Garden Plant, by Brad Kasperek
A Blast From The Past, by Darol Jurn
Missouri Rambling, by President Jim Hedgecock
2012 Spuria Introductions (pictures included)
News About a New Digital Program
2016 Spuria Iris Society Mini-Convention
2012 Popularity Poll
Paypal in Our Midst

And much, much more.

For information about membership with the Spuria Iris Society, please visit Society's website.

(SPU) Spuria Irises

Spurias are tall (2 to 5 feet in height) and elegant, and have very attractive foliage. The shape of the bloom often suggests orchids and the colors range from white and yellow through blue, wine and brown, often with bright yellow signals. This horticultural class is equivalent to the botanical Series Spuriae. The highest award is the Eric Nies Medal.