Pardancanda norrisii and Pardanthopsis dichotoma

Pardancanda xnorrisii is indeed a bigeneric hybrid between Pardanthopsis
dichotoma (vesper iris) and Belamcanda chinensis (blackberry lilly).  The
plants are very easily grown from seed and usually bloom the first summer
if started early.  They are definitely short-lived perennials,  only
lasting about 3 years unless they are dug up and reset, which seems to
rejuvenate them.  There is a good color range, though without selection,
seed bought from many suppliers (like Park Seed)  is shifting back to
simply a grape-purple version of Belamcanda, a change deplored by Sam
Norris, the originator.  The iris-like qualities of Pardanathopsis
disappear in advanced generations (but can be restored by using selected
parents).  The bloom stalks rise above an iris-like plant to about three or
four feet, with numerous branches and many terminal buds.  The season is
thus quite long.  However, each flower lasts only a day.  Blooms are about
an inch or so across.

Pardanthopsis dichotoma is a favorite of mine and very easy from seed.
SIGNA has offered seed of selected blues and whites from time to time.  The
small, one-inch,  iris-like flowers on four to five foot, wiry,
much-branched stems open at about 5 or 6 in the evening--vespers time, if
you stretch it a bit.  By morning they have wilted into a curious spiral.
Bloom starts in late July and usually lasts through most of August.  As to
hardiness, I suspect about Z6 but others may have more experience.  I'm
currently growing on some small plants from a very nice white form.  Didn't
pay much attention this summer so they will not bloom until next summer.

This is a group that is ripe to be taken up by some enterprising young
plant breeder.  Continued selection could increase the range of forms and
colors, increase flower size, etc.  Plus there is at least one more species
of Belamcanda, B. flabellata, a much stockier plant (about 18") that
produces compact heads of clear yellow flowers.  Its qualities could be
added in, perhaps.

Best wishes, Bill
___________________
William A. Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943 USA
phone (804) 223-6172
FAX (804) 223-6374
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