Re: Spec: Setosa...was reply to Welcome

Rick Tasco/Roger Duncan wrote:
> > >
> > Kathy,
> What are your Setosa breeding goals?
To develop several nice lines of "specialty " commericially viable
setosa because while the wild plant is used extensively in landscaping
in Alaska, it has been relatively forgotten in breeding programs. I know
no other Iris breeders in AK, (tho I may be mistaken),& have seen more
interest & breeding going on in other states/countries than here. I
understand that our climate makes propagation & increase slower, but it
also produces plants of sterling hardiness. When I say specialty I mean
anything other than the common wildling anyone can harvest. 
>if your Cranberry Setosa clone is unique enough, you can name it and register it with the
> American Iris Society.  Is this clone what you are using in your breeding?
I looked up your reference to "clone" in AIS literature & was surprised
to find that is what the "cranberry colored" one is considered. I also
didn't know you can register gathered plants. I would like to pursue
that avenue a bit. Yes the original cranberry is in one of my lines.  
> I am trying to grow the Setosas for the first time. Old timers, strike that, mature people here tell me that they will die out for lack of cold winters.  But I'm always one to go against conventional wisdom. 
> Rick Tasco
> Superstition Iris Gardens
> Central California
I assume you grow beardeds? I hadn't considered the problems of growing
setosa in warm areas until I read several comments in iris-l, but of
course it would be same as growing tropicals in the arctic. The mature
wisdom may be correct of course, but one never knows - you may find that
special one that loves heat & starts a whole line! Definitely worth a
try. I found a puzzler 2 yrs ago that was blooming in Sept(during the
1st of the frosts!), which is like having a death wish up here. They are
supposed to be brown & collapsing at that time. I harvested them & they
haven't done anything since - no blooms, not much increase, sort of like
they're out of sync or something. I've been wondering if they aren't a
mutant that should be in a warmer climate or something. I'm still trying
to figure them out. I might have to ship them south to test my
assumption. Iris-L is a real pleasure to be on.
Kathy Haggstrom
hagg@alaska.net
Anchorage, AK USA
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