Floral Treats - wide crosses
James Waddick (Mon, 24 May 2010 21:22:35 PDT)

Dear Jane and all,
Sort, but only slightly. 'Holden Clough', named after the UK
nursery where it was found was known to be a seedling of a 40
chromosome or Sino-Siberian and guessed at the other parent. Some
people think it is I. pseudacorus, others favor I foetidissima. It is
a bit tender here and I can't keep this one going.

'Alley Oops' is a cross with a 28 chromosome or Garden
Siberian with an unknown, but guessed to be I. pseudacorus.

Siberian Iris Series contain 2 distinct groups of species:
Sino-Siberians with 40 chromosomes each and a half dozen species, and
the more common garden siberians with only 3 species (siberica,
sanguinea and typhifolia). There's one know cross between these two
groups. Oddly both groups are all found in China (And some spread a
bit further afield)

40 chrom siberians have been crossed with a lot of other iris
most notably PCNS to make a group known as Cal-Sibes. The 28 chrom
species form the basis of most modern garden siberian iris, but there
are relatively few wide crosses.

......and there's relatively few people trying these odd
crosses , so when one turns up like 'Alley Oops' or the earlier
'Holden Clough' we all sit up and take notice.

Best Jim W.

--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +