Iris laevigata "Semperflorens"

In a message dated 96-11-25 21:48:24 EST, you write:

<< ne week ago I picked two stalks of Iris laevigata 'Semperflorens.'  It is
 growing in a 5-gal. pot, standing in about 10 inches of water in my fish
 pond.  Both stalks had trouble opening in the Autumn chill (we had not had
 a real freeze up to that point...it is expected tonight!), but when I cut
 them and brought them inside, they both opened beautifully!  The flower was
 pale blue, almost that powder blue of the TB 'Song of Norway.'  (My catalog
 says this cultivar is "grape color," but mine certainly was NOT!)  Do any
 of you grow this beardless iris...and do I have a properly named
 specimen??? >>

If the I. laevigata you have blooming is powder blue it is not Semperflorens
(unless it has mutated or the color has been severely affected by the soil
and light).  Often, plants of named I. laevigata originate from seed from
botanic gardens, and the various forms do "breed true."  The cultivar
SEMPERFLORENS is "grape color"...so what you have is very special. 

 There are a number of "powder blue" named I. laevigata forms in Japan, but I
only know of two named cultivars which have been imported into the US (I
imported them).  Lorena Reid may have some others, but I am not sure of this.
 I have shared my plants with Ensata Gardens, Joe Pye Weed, and Draycott
Gardens so that they can ultimately get enough stock to list them.  These two
cultivars are very pale blue NURESAGI and the medium wisteria blue SEIRAN.
 They are 3 fall forms, and very lovely.  Is yours a 3 fall form?  In any
event, a powder blue form of I. laevigata that will rebloom is a good
candidate for registering and introducing. Clarence Mahan in VA
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