Copper Classic or Homecoming Queen

I am supposed to have Copper Classic and Homecoming Queen from the same trade. They've opened one day apart and look to be the same iris. In the plant files here they also look like the same iris. What am I missing in telling them apart?

Thanks,
Neil

Copper Classic: http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/52142/

Homecoming Queen: http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/11775/

It might be rather subtle. I've grown Copper Classic (but not Homecoming Queen) and one thing that set it apart from my other irises was the form of the standards. They tend to open wide and flare out. I also noticed this habit in the PlantFiles pics.

This is a close one Neil, especially since the photo of one of them is fuzzy and we can't tell the size of one versus the other. That makes me crazy about iris - I wish that the size was registered like daylilies. Then the height is also a factor.

What I can tell is that there is a pattern on the falls of Copper Classic next to the beard that Homecoming Queen doesn't have. Homecoming Queen seems to have a deeper rose color in the stands. I am squinting at the photo but Copper classic seems to have a rim on the stands that matches the falls.

But you are right. They are very close. Hope that this helps. Or you may have gotten two of the same iris.

I'd pay attention to the pattern under the beards on the falls. Copper Classic is 35" tall and a mid to late bloomer. (I couldn't find info on Homecoming Queen) Right now you should be having early bloomers going right?



This message was edited Apr 27, 2006 6:58 PM

Thanks for your help and suggestions. Every picture I locate looks a little different depending on the lighting. Something more to investigate on a rainy day. The fact that they came from the same person makes me feel they are probably the same. I'll put two blooms side by side tomorrow in the light and really examine them. For now, I'll just mark them as NOIDs.

It's been so warm here this year that we are about two weeks ahead of the season. The past few days have been the peak flowering of the TBs and I think after this week end, there will be a winding down.

Neil

Either way Neil, you have a beautiful plant. The only way to really tell is to grow one and see if it matches what you have. You have had an early season. My medians and the early TB are just blooming now but we've had cool and cloudy weather.

My two plants are definitely the same. Here's a shot taken on a very cloudy day, so the color isn't quite as intense as it appears in this photo.

Neil

Neil, I used to grow HQ but it never bloomed for me and it finally surrendered to the inevitable this winter. However, I found these pictures of both CC and HQ on the website of Anita Moran (she gave me HQ). On the left is CC and the right is HQ. Comparing hers to yours, I'd say you've got two pieces of CC. Notice the very faint edging on the falls of HQ. That's the difference from my eyesight. Also, using that same comparison one of the pics in the plant files seems to be mislabelled.

Roni

This message was edited Apr 28, 2006 1:10 PM