TB ancestors of modern arilbreds

A brief followup on the Iist of TB ancestral species I compiled while
researching arilbreds, because it may be of interest to growers of arilbreds as
well as their hybridizers....

There were a handful of arilbreds derived from the diploid TB species.  Most
were infertile.  William Mohr, whose TB parent was the diploid PARISIANA, was
probably the most important exception.  It did produce a few registered
offsping, including CAPITOLA which in turn produced a plethora of quarterbreds.


In the meantime, C.G. White broke the fertility barrier using the tetraploid TB
species and their descendants.  We don't have specific pedigrees, so we can't be
sure there were NO diploid species lurking in the background -- but this was Tom
Wilkes conclusion after studying C.G. White's records and I could find no fault
with his logic.  

Unfortunately, the same thing then happened in the arilbred world that had
happened earlier with the TBs.  The newer, more impressive flowers eclipsed the
older, more gardenable varieties in the popularily poll otherwise known as the
marketplace.  In spite of the Mohr type's reputation for gardenability and the
C.G. White type's reputation of being hard to grow.   Not that I don't love the
newer flowers -- I just wish we'd been able to incorporate the best traits of
both types in our modern lines.....

Yes, a few people did work with both types, so there are some modern arilbreds
for which some remote diploid TB ancestry can be found.   Most are relatively
infertile, like their Mohr predecessors --  but a few, like  ARAB DUSK, have
enough fertility to be useful. Others, like DON RICARDO and DORCAS, are fully
fertile.

In most of today's arilbreds, gardenability comes from a different source.  Gene
Hunt used I. korolowii derivatives to produce a different type of more
gardenable arilbred.  I. korolkowii is native to the Caucasus mountains, from
5,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level and therefore considerably more cold-hardy
than the Mediterranean species.  His ESTHER, THE QUEEN was used so extensively
by other hybridizers that today it is relatively easy to find arilbreds with her
growth habits.

I'm trying to do the same thing with I. hoogiana -- but that's a different
story.... 

So can I persuade some of you northerners to cross modern cold-hardy TBs with
Esther's children to see what happens?

Sharon McAllister (73372.1745@compuserve.com)
Southern New Mexico
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