Re: HYB: Purple Foliage

Jan Clark wrote:
> 
> To the question:
> >>  Is purple based foliage a dominant trait? =
> 
> Maureen Mark replied:
> >Yes.
> 
> I was wondering this myself. The only iris of mine which displays
> distinctly purple foliage, is an older iris "New Snow". Out of curiosity
> I have crossed this with "Aztec Burst" (B.Blyth) and should expect at
> least a quarter purple foliage seedlings (if any grow!) This will be
> well apparent before their first bloom.

>From my experience there is a dilution factor present.  That is, you
will get your quarter but not all will be the same shade.
  
> "New Snow" is always easy to identify in the garden. What do 
> list members find is the percentage of purple foliaged plants in their
> gardens. If I had a lot more I would stagger plantings according to
> foliage colour, to make identification easier if labels were lost. (I
> plot their positions in the garden on my computer as a back up.)

Purple based foilage will fade in warm weather and get darker in cooler
weather.  I've known some varieties to completely lose their purple base
in warm weather.

>         Let me know if this is a previously discussed topic, and I 
> will look it up in the archives.
> 
>                                 Regards - Jan Clark
> 

Rick Tasco
Superstition Iris Gardens
Central California
Zone 8
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