Hello Loïc,
Keirith (MTB) is one I bought years ago on the recommendation that it occassionally reblooms (on the West coast US). It didn't rebloom for me here, on the East coast and it never really settled in. I eventually lost it, but did do some crosses with Clown Pants before it was gone. One of those is a striped standard MTB that I'll probably register and introduce, if it increases alright. I have a picture somewhere of Keirith -- I'll see if I can find it for you.
As for Astrachanica, I've been incorporating it by way of Astra Girl in addition to those Keirith seedlings. I just planted out a batch of seedlings from Astra Girl using pollen of a species cross seedling of my own: (Kupari x Rosemary's Dream) X (Kupari x suaveolens var. rubromarginata). I'd read Stephanie (or Lynn?) Markham's suggestion that Astra Girl combines well with other diploid [larger] irises, often minimizing size while preserving color patterns and other qualities of the other parent. I'm hoping that Astra Girl will improve the flower form, proportion and budcount that are deficiencies of my seedling. I think I've still got Tyke too, which is another Astrachanica derivative.
Good luck with those Susan Bliss seedlings. I think you've got some great potential there.
Tom
From: "loic tasquier"
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Yes, you are right, if we want to have enough seeds we have to have more than one pod per cross, of course, how stupid of me!
but i think you're over doing it a bit! You have at least 3 dozen in there!
Don't leave them in this plastic bad or they will rot!
About the potential of things that haven't been used enough in the past, i agree with you!
For example:
I've used good old Susan Bliss this year, pollinated it with Avona, in order to give the newest the potential lying in that very old but fabulous plant, with amazing branching and pink colour with bright yellow beards for the time (1922)!
Of course, it will take a couple of generations to overcome the old shape and poor texture, (but with Barry's curly irises, it will be fast!) and i'm sure Susan Bliss will give an extra plus to the new line.
Terry JOHNSON has been bold enough to offer a foster home to this cross, so it's New Zealand who will see the impact of Susan Bliss on a new line of breeding!
By using that tiny Mellita, you've brought sth new i'm sure, and Clown Pants is the living proof of it!
It's like Iris Astrachanica , Persona comes from it, but also Astra Girl, and to top it all, look at the parentage of this one:
KEIRITH (Jean Witt, R. 1997) Sdlg. 91-07-G9. MTB, 17-20" (43-51 cm), M
S. pale yellow, lightly freckled pale lavender; style arms very pale yellow; F. white, dotted and veined lavender, reverse yellow; beards yellow, hairs tipped brown; lightly ruffled; slight fragrance. Susan Bliss X I. astrachanica. Aitken's Salmon Creek 1998
Yes, Susan Bliss!!!!! I couldn't beleive it when i found it in the data base!
I would love to see what it looks like. Can someone post a picture?
Yes, it's time we take the risk to go one step behing, in order to jump forward !
Loïc
