Dennis,
David Schmieder has made crosses of the type PCN x prismatica.
Maybe he'll reply to this himself, but a few years back he gave me a
pot with some seedlings of this type. I grew them on, and got four
plants. Two were like ordinary blue prismaticas, but with distinctly
yellowish foliage. I discarded these after a year. The others had
normal prismatica type foliage, and flowers that were totally
prismatica in form, but the color was a little different. One was the
one in the photo, the other had maroon standards with white styles--no
photo of that, though. I was of the opinion that SOMETHING unusual was
going on with the cross, but David was not so sure. Other than this
cross having some seedlings with yellow foliage, and
two rather unusual color flowers for prismatica, there was no sign of
the PCN parent. I liked them enough to think that, at least, they
expanded the available range of prismatica. Unfortunately I lost them
both due to the root rot fungus I've had problems with.
So I would say if you are intrigued, go for it. Can you grow the
PCN hybrids where you are?
Ken
Dennis Kramb wrote:
I was reading Tomas Tamberg's website and enjoying the photos of
his
numerous spec-x hybrids. And one page in particular caught my
attention... the chrysmatica hybrids.
http://www.tamberg.homepage.t-online.de/homep19e.htm
I was unaware that such a cross existed. And it has me wondering about
crossing Iris prismatica with pacific coast hybrids. My thought being
that if PCH can cross with Chrysographes group... and Chrysographes
group can cross with prismatica... then PCH might cross with
prismatica.
I'm just looking for a way to get some of the outrageous modern PCH
genes into a cold hardy form. The Cal-sibes I've seen so far have not
been impressive enough for my tastes.
I wonder if I can get people to experiment with it this year? I grow
prismatica, but obviously don't grow the flamboyant modern day PCH
cultivars like I saw a couple years ago at the Mt. Diablo Iris Society
show.
I should ask Ryan Grisso about getting some pollen of his cutting edge
hybrids. I'd love to apply it to my favorite prismatica.
Does anyone else here grow both types? Wanna try making some east coast
/ west coast hybrids? :)
Oooh... that has me thinking to try it with Iris tridentata too.
Pacific Northwest vs. Atlantic Southeast. How cool is that?!
Dennis in Cincinnati (where my furnace died and it's dipped into the
50's in my house! bbbbrrrrr!)
