My irises have started

really nice dwarf collection Mainer. I just love Serendipity, and the arilbred. Looks like alot's cookin' up there in Maine. Thanks for the pictures. I have a very few SDBs. I've seen such beauties on the threads lately, gotta get me some.

The arilbred is gorgeous. So are all those SDB's. You are having a colorful spring.

Come on Loudmouth bloom
waiting to see its beauty again

I only planted Loudmouth last summer and it did bloom today.

Chimera (Zurbrigg,1961) ERe, IB. Maiden bloom.

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Yippy Skippy SDB by Paul Black maiden bloom. This I got from the Maine Iris Society 2007 sale.

Now this one is noid. Was supposed to be Baby Blessed and the store was selling Mr. Roberts at the same time. I took the plant not in bloom of course. Afterwards it bloomed and I bugged Linda and Glenna for the right thing.

Does anyone know what Mr. Roberts looks like or if this is something else? For now I am calling this SDB not Baby Blessed. Everything is gold on it except a few brown streaks in the falls. No PBF.

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Those iris society sales offer a wealth of good stuff, don't they Mainer? I buy a lot at ours, too -- more than I can figure out where to plant !

MISTER ROBERTS

(A. & D. Willott, R. 1978) Sdlg. 77-40. SDB, 12" (30 cm), L
Ruffled deep yellow self; deep yellow beard. Inca Star X Happy Halo

Here is the picture of Mr. Roberts that I took at the Albuquerque Garden Center at the end of April.

Thanks, I will have to wait to let the bloom fades out a bit today to check against it. Meanwhile I have to go back and check on Betsey Boo and Boo. Both are unfolding today and the rain is due to happen anytime now. I prefer not to have a tattered pic of Betsey Boo if I can manage it. Bye for now.

Betsey Boo an historic SDB finally opened.

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The veining on the falls makes it seem different than 'unknown pink iris" on the other thread. I think working for a side by side comparison is in order ir Betsey Boo can be found for the comparison.

Mine is not a Wall Mart variety and matches the HIPS version. The grey veining does fade as the bloom gets more open and the sun gets at it. This bloom is in a cold climate in part shade under an appletree so you see the veining more clearly for it has not opened fully yet.

I have not noticed any pbf on Betsey Boo like I see on Lenna M. Lenna M has faint pbf that fades after bloom appears. I believe these two irises are siblings. I grow both but I do not think Lenna M. will bloom this year.

Here is a photo of Lenna M.

Spinning Wheel is my first TB to bloom.

It's such a beauty. Thanks Wanda!

Susan

Betsey Boo (Warburton r.74 intro.'75) pollen parent is a sibling of Lenna M.
'Lenna M' (Earl Roberts r.64 intro'66)
There is no record of pbf, however at that time there was not much attention paid to it. For a long time 'Lenna M' & 'Pink Cushion' were the only pink SDBs so all of these are counted as historics.

That's interesting. Thanks. I also see Lenna M. listed as pol parent but I have not seen it listed as a pod parent. Does that mean they are not fertile as pod parents?

Another DB that might not be a fertile parent both ways is Snow Maiden by S. Chadwick. It is a very hardy white DB. Snow Maiden bloomed today.

Boo by L. Markham bloomed today.

Like your Spinning Wheel is looking delicate and dainty.

In the cross for 'Betsey Boo' the pod parent is an IB 'Sweetie' It does not seem tp have pollen so something had to be used. I have never grown 'Lenna M' but in hybridizing can use a plant both ways if it has pollen, the combination of parents can dictate how the are crossed. I like to cross both ways if possible. We used to grow 'Snow Maiden' but lost it. It is from 1935, before the crossing of TBs and I. pumila which gave the modern SDBs in the 1950 decade. If you are interested in working with medians, the Median Iris Society has a checklist through the 2007 registrations for $20. It is just easier than going through all the checklists from 1929 on, although the 1929 list was repeated in the 10 yr listing in 1939. The show committees have the check lists as questions come up on entries. Back to your question even if both plants in a cross have pollen not all will work well that way & it may depend on the other parent. Hybridizing is learning what plant produces what result.

Wow, I never hybridized so am learning step by step and most likely will get what you just said wrong. Are you saying the DB's were a different type of SDB until something happened in 1950 that made a cross between TB's and I. pumila which changed them after that? If I say used snow maiden with a like type it may be fertile but possibly not with the newer types? Did it change the ploidy pos?

Here's a new one for me that just opened today. It's Tanzanian Tangerine. thanks gonzomomma!

And Iris pallida ' Aurea Variegata' has also started to bloom. Grown for the foliage rather than the flowers, they are a bright spot in the front strip this time of the year.

Susan

Over the yrs. DB was used to indicate dwarf irises.--size varied, Our Snow Maiden was around 18".In the 1950s when TB x pumila were developed they were classed as Standard dwarfs. the older dwarfs I. chamieirs (sp? on that) were the same size. Those are now called I. lutesens.They seem to be the same 40c as SDBs. The latter are easier to work with in that they can supply more colors. No ploidy change on S. Maiden, fertility is an individual status it could be tried with modern iris. I would suggest trying the diploids like I. pallida. It may not be fertile at all, not known until it is tried. It you show it put it in the historic class if one is available. I would think MIS would schedule them. I didn't mean to be confusing.

This is interesting and I am learning like a newbie which I am over hybridizing. Thank you for sharing what you know. Okay here is what I crossed for the fun of it: Snow Tree Pod Yearling Pol, Caution Sign Pod Smell The Roses Pol, they are forming pods already. How long does one leave them alone before picking? What does one do with them after they mature?

Just for the fun of it if Snow Maiden is still blooming May 24th, I will try to enter it in the historic section of the show. I have lots of Snow Maiden for I got it back in 1987 so might try pollinating a modern if my i pallida ever blooms. Looks like my i germanica will bloom for the first time this year.Got both from Argyle Acres in 2005. Tokay is a diploid I have not seen bloom yet and it will this year. HIPS wants a pic of it posted on their website soon as it does.

Another question: that i pallida looks yellow and green, mine is white and green, what are they called for they can not be the same type of pallida.

IB In The Buff looks short this year being a maiden bloom and only planted last summer.

Along about the end of July or perhaps early August the tops of the pods will turn brown or just begin to split. You can often see seeds inside. Then is the time to pick the pod, being careful not to spill the seeds. Some people tie pieces of pantyhose around the mature pod to catch the seeds as the pod ripens, but unless you are going to be out of the garden or don't keep a close check on them it shouldn't be necessary. I bring the pods indoors to open, spilling the seeds & counting on a plastic plate. People dry them in different ways, I use a small paper plate with the cross written on it,others use cups, whatever works for you. The nice plump seeds turn into tiny dry ones.

There are at least 2 pallidas with variegated leaves. The yellow & green in known as 'Zebra' and the white & green form is pallida argentea. Congratulations--that is the more rare form. Information from 'The World of Irises' p.308.

There is a bug that will eat your pods in a lot of USA
so they need spraying often .

Yes, beware the verbena bud moth so we don't plant verbena in the garden. We don't have much trouble with SDB pods, perhaps they ripen earlier than the bugs.

Wow! Thanks for these tips. Will place my pallida under Argentea then. I best look up what a verbena bud moth looks like in the bugfiles if they have it. Tomorrow looks like Hustle, Snickers and Miss Mauve will open. Only In The Buff did today.

Samurai Warrior, Hybridized by Schreiner; Year of Registration or Introduction: 1981. I love the ones with deep saturated colors like this one. Thanks Wanda!

Susan

I agree Susan. Your Samurai Warrior is beautiful. It's so bright, it looks like it glows. I just love the color. You have a beauty there.You've given me an addition to my Wish List - like I really need any more, but I don't have anything with that color. At least I don't think I do - (smile)! Many will be blooming for the first time this year.

Linda

Maltese cross with snow maiden and cherry garden blooming.

This is cherry garden not matching that noid by Shirley Hooper. The beards are lighter.

Hustle opening from Maine Iris Society 2007 sale.

Thunder storms interfered yesterday with iris opening. Here is Hustle today.

Snickers SDB

Miss Mauve IB

I just ordered Miss Mauve yesterday. Now that I see your picture I am glad I did.