These two irises are probably incompatible for any crossing. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim McKenney" <jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com> To: "'Pacific Bulb Society'" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 2:26 PM Subject: [pbs] Iris lazica x I. unguicularis OK, I done the deed: Iris lazica was pollinated yesterday with pollen from I. unguicularis. The reverse cross was not made because the flower of I. unguicularis seemed to be past using for that purpose. It occurred to me the other day that Iris unguicularis is virtually unique among the irises I know for its prolonged season of bloom. Here flowers appear over a five month period: does any other iris come even close? Imagine a hardy garden iris with a five month season of bloom! Has anyone ever attempted crosses of I. unguicularis with bearded irises? Imagine a bearded iris which continually put up flowers over a five month period. Those genes for prolonged blooming should not go to waste! Does Iris lazica bloom over an extended season, or do the flowers come mostly at once? The first two flowers to appear are fully formed now, and I see more buds pushing up. Can anyone give me an idea how long this will continue? Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871º North, 77.09829º West, USDA zone 7 My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/