Iris and some Irids 2011

[Diane Whitehead]

Do you have iris breeders there who sell their unnamed seedlings?

Or, if your supplier grew it from seed marked 'susiana', it could be
an unnamed hybrid.

[Lesley Cox]

No, we have no breeders of onco or arilbred irises at all. I don't think we ever did have. The donor did have susiana in her garden, I had seen it previously so I think when she offered it to me, she simply dug in the wrong place. She was in her 80s at the time and has since died. She also gave it to a friend we had in common, in the far north of the North Island. He received this one too.

[Lesley Cox]

Even if this discussion hasn't given me definitive answers, it has at last prompted me to do something about it. I've dug it up and dusted it off to some extent and now can show a picture of the rhizomes. They are, as new growths, reasonably round rather than long, and I don't think are thick enough to have tall beareds in them. Though there is some material to be trimmed away, there are at least 25 growing points with tiny white tips. Even if it doesn't flower for a couple of years, it should survive and hopefully flower in due course.



Having dug it, I'll now go out and pot it with some Trichoderma fungus granules and a little high potash fertilizer, not too much. I realize the foliage, what remains of it looks dreadful but this is, after all the dead end of the bearded iris season and I would normaly expect some new growth following autumn rains (April).

[arillady]

Well it certainly has onco-like rhizomes to me. And there is new growth coming.

[Regelian]

I agree with Pat, a very strong oncocyclus look to the rhizomes.  I would say it is most likely a threequarter-bred, with 25% TB genetics, but it could be 100% aril.  Don't forget, it could be part regelia, as well, but only a small amount, considering the form.

[arillady]

Lesley Alison Nicoll registered Gentle Song in 2006 Chubby Cheeks x Tabriz.
I can send you a list privately of the NZ members of ASI

[Lesley Cox]

That could be useful thanks Pat.

[Hans A.]

Yes the rhizome look like Onco.
Today started to flower one of my "test tube babies", a cross of a triploid Arilbred with an Oncogelia, it has formed a good clump, but as the Rhizome is very compact I still could not make any divisions. The flower opened today so it still has not the typical Oncoform.

[Tom Waters]

Gorgeous seedling, Hans. Don't think I've ever seen quite that combination of colors.

[Lesley Cox]

It is beautiful Hans. I love the speckling and the very dark signal.

Even better on a second look, with the lovely bronze beard and style arms. A real gem.

[arillady]

How lovely Hans and it looks like it has plenty of pollen. Add some more speckling with lortettii maybe

[Hans A.]

Tom, Lesley and Pat, thanks a lot, glad you like it - here a picture I took today, think the shape looks something better and more typical.
Pat, I tried to pollinate this one, but I doubt this plant will be fertile.

[BULBISSIME]

Very nice flower.... for an hybrid ! 

[arillady]

Hans why do you say it wouldn't be fertile - try both ways just for fun then.

[Regelian]

Hans,  a very pretty flower!  The speckling and strong signal are a delight.

I would expect it to be fertile.  The chances are very good it is either diploid or tetraploid.  Another triploid is unlikely.  The wild card would be with the arilbred.  Do you know what plant it was?