Re: Western rebloomers
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: Western rebloomers
- From: m*@tricities.net (Mike Lowe)
- Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 14:38:09 -0700 (MST)
=46red Kerr writes...
>My view of rebloomers is that if I wouldn't look at it twice during the
>spring bloom, I don't want to look at it during its summer, fall or winter
>bloom. Using this selection method I have gone through about 100 rebloomers
>and find I now grow primarily California rebloomers.
I too, have grown and discarded well over a hundred rebloomers. Reason? I
call it the Red Polish/Skookumchuck syndrome. This syndrome was
photographed and written up in 'The Reblooming Iris Recorder' Spring '91
page 15. The article sums it up fairly well with quotes from two noted
hybridizers working in the remontant field. The only thing missing is the
photograph. (Can supply that also for those with strong stomachs. Black &
white is kind to iris mush!)
article starts______________________________________________________
(Picture Here)
SKOOKUMCHUCK IS THE FROZEN REMNANT
SURROUNDED BY HEALTHY VARIETIES
____________________________________________________________________
You may remember Lloyd Zurbrigg or John Weiler commenting that "That iris
has too much mesopotamica blood to do well in colder climates." or "That is
really a 'California only' variety." Spring clean-up here reveals a badly
damaged Skookumchuck (again), a prime illustration of an iris that fits the
above category. Skookumchuck is teased into winter growth by the slightest
warm spell; it then falls prey to any subsequent freezes. Coupled with this
'winter-green' tendency is a hyper-sensitivity to freezing. I have
attempted to bloom Skook for six years. I have never seen it bloom, spring
or fall, during those six years. It enticed me on by never completely
succumbing to freeze damage-it would spend all summer and fall recovering
from spring freezes, just to start the dismal cycle all over again next
winter and spring. I finally lost patience this spring and trashed it.
=DF
_______________________________________________________article stops
Cheers,
Mike, mikelowe@tricities.net -- http://www.tricities.net/~mikelowe/
South Central Virginia, USA
USDA Zone 7A, pH-5.4, very sandy loam
185 to 205 frost free growing days per year Hard on California Rebloomers!
