Mary Lou, I was told, by a hybridizer friend with experience, to be
aware that 'San Leandro' (in LW) would pass on bad branching. I've
tended to avoid it through the years for this very reason, but did give
in to 'Lunar Whitewash.' It has passed on the poor branching when
crossed to things with bad branching. (Double shot of bad branching.)
I should have some blooms from 'All Revved Up' (good branching which it
usually passes on) by 'Lunar Whitewash.' One of the goals is to see if
LW will pass on the branching when used with good branching.

As with other characteristics, it seems the children will tell the
story.

Griff, sometimes it opens in time here, but it does seem to be getting
later as time passes. Still worth working with due to the form . . .
IMHO.

Betty Wilkerson
Zone 6 KY
a*@aol.com

-----Original Message-----
From: J. Griffin Crump <j*@cox.net>
To: iris-photos <i*@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thu, Feb 16, 2012 8:18 am
Subject: Re: [iris-photos] HYB: Lunar Whitewash

Mary Lou  --  Iâm glad to hear of your seedlings.  Iâve had Lunar
Whitewash for several years and admire it, but it usually reblooms too
late to beat the freeze.  This past year was one of my best rebloom
years, but LW showed up too late again and was zapped.  --  Griff

 

From: M*@msn.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:28 PM
To: iris-photos
Subject: [iris-photos] HYB: Lunar Whitewash

 

 

I've never seen LW growing anywhere but here.
 
In my garden, it reblooms early enough to get the job done,
but doesn't seem to have the vigor to develop branches with
buds.  Since it's the product of a sibling cross, I've always
suspected some diminished vigor was a result.
 
Terrific quality bloom, especially for a not-blue Z5 RE.
 
After 10 years at it, I have several pod candidates with all the
vigor anyone could want.  There are currently about 70 seedlings
in here with me out of LW by Coral Chalice and English Charm
waiting for spring.  Tilting at the not-blue amoena windmill.
 
They are doing fine so far.  Vigor can come from either side.
Generally, though, I get more vigor if mom is the tough one.
Mitochondrial DNA is my guess.
 
Mary Lou, near Indianapolis