Re: Re: classifying as a Rebloomer
iris@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Re: classifying as a Rebloomer
  • From: C* C* <d*@rewrite.hort.net>
  • Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2014 13:21:06 -0400
Any examples of successful rebloomers from this program with flower form and colours of the exotic warm climate iris?
The warm climate rebloomers don't have any more or less secondary rebloom characteristics then warm climate iris that don't rebloom. Just have facilitative vernalization genes, which are irrelevant for anything in zone 7 and cooler.
If you grow a number of cultivars, then the ones that put out increases earlier in your climate are ones with lower mature leaf count and appropriate bud set temperatures for your climate. These are the secondary traits you need. For me the iris will have lower bud set temperatures, in Linda's climate they will have higher bud set temperature. Same selection procedure, different results. 

Chuck Chapman


-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Mann <101l@rewrite.hort.net>
To: iris <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Sat, Oct 4, 2014 7:25 am
Subject: Re: [iris] Re: classifying as a Rebloomer

For my breeding program, my assumption has been that coastal/California
sporadic elsewhere style rebloomers have a goodly dose of those
secondary characteristics necessary for rebloom.  I agree that
assumption may or may not be correct, but it seems to be working for me.

In my climate (USDA zone 7, rapidly approaching 8, erratic rainfall,
erratic freezes, high summer heat and humidity), disease
resistance/tolerance is <much> more important in my breeding program
than cold tolerance.

I'm guessing that in colder climates, disease tolerance may be less
crucial than ability to survive frozen soil. So Chuck and my choices of 
what is suitable breeding material differ.
Another big difference is that I want irises that are capable of bud set 
in higher temperatures than Chuck needs in order to have rebloom start
at least one month, preferably two, before they are killed by fall
freezes.  Average killing freeze here is mid Oct, so my goal is bud set
6 weeks <before> mid August, when I'd like bloom to start here.  Hot,
humid, and horrid here in July.
Because the climate in coastal/CA/OZ (i.e., iris heaven) doesn't require 
high tolerance for freezing <or> diseases that result from constantly
wet foliage, breeders there have been able to develop all manner of
patterns, colors, and rebloom traits in irises that don't thrive (or
survive) in more stressful climates.  While iris heaven does cool at
night more than here, at least irises bred there have to tolerate high
daytime temperatures.

I have bought (and killed) a <lot> of coastal/CA/OZ bred irises because
I think the flowers are beautiful - I love both the form and the colors
and patterns.  Using pedigrees and with information from others in
climates similar to mine who have also bought and killed irises bred in
iris heaven, I have been able to add about 30 different 'bloodlines'
from iris heaven to my breeding program, with seedlings from another 10
being evaluated. Only about 12 of these ~40 pollen donors have survived 
here more than a year or two.  By crossing them onto very disease
resistant rebloom parents, I have gotten very strong, healthy seedlings
from ~30 of them.

Although I've not exclusively used cultivars known to rebloom in iris
heaven, when shopping, I've tried to include that trait. At least 19 of 
the 40 have been reported to rebloom somewhere at least once.

I hope that helps clarify some of the differences in Chuck and my
choices of cultivars suitable to include in our breeding programs.

On 10/3/2014 8:52 PM, Chuck Chapman wrote:
What you need from the other parent is good secondary 
characteristics.

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