Summer iris

James Waddick jwaddick@kc.rr.com
Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:14:08 PDT
>You brought a question to mind.  What are the xpardancanda's called 
>now?  Iris x norrisii?

Dear Tony,
	Yes these "Candy Lilies " (Iris, not lilies) are officially 
Iris x norrisii now since both parents have (re)joined the genus Iris.


>  	This past week I was in Atlanta and saw a 6' tall bright 
>yellow flowered form of I. domestica.  Have you or anyone ever seen 
>yellow-flowered plants this tall?

	Wow. Who has this and can we get seed for SIGNA?

	Actually I have seen this - sort of - years ago.  When Sam 
Norris first introduced theses hybrids commercially, the highly 
esteemed (at that time) Park Seed Co introduced them. These plants 
made full size plants with flowers having the form of I dichotoma or 
I domestica as well as intermediate. Now these commercial Candy 
Lilies are all pretty uniform with I domestica form flowers in a 
limited mix of colors .
	I recall full size plants with yellow dichotma form flowers. 
Also nice intermediate pinks, white, rich purple (not the typical 
dichotoma lavender) and more.

	In short the original or close to original F1s were much 
nicer than the modern mixed mutt descendants.

	I haven't grown or seen any of Darrell Probst's named 
xnorrissii. They are advertised as having more and larger flowers: up 
to 400 flowers per plant!. These don't seem to get around much and I 
am not certain why. Are they difficult to propagate, short lived, 
difficult to grow?

	At this time of year, these delicate multi-flowered Iris are 
a neat change of pace. Take a look at the article, too.

			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 +


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