RE: More BS (beard spines, of course) and horns

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Botanically,

Kelly D. Norris

Master Gardener/Freelance Writer

Bedford, Iowa USA

Zone 4b/5a

Farm Manager, Rainbow Iris Farm

www.rainbowfarms.net

Newsletter Editor, Iowa Bluebird Conservationists

The love of knowledge is a sort of madness.
C. S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet

When PARIS FASHION bloomed I noted the beard spine structure is definitely thick and elevated along much of its length.

Also, as both Bill Burleson and the Suttons have noted, DEVONSHIRE CREAM is the mainstream iris that decided to join the SA crowd.  First blossom out had one fall with small bearded horn, at least one other fall with a distinct bald extension of the BS into a horn.  Subsequent blooms have had bald horns up to nearly half inch and in some cases more in length.

Crosses were made with FLUTE ENCHANTE' (forward slanting accent), on FE with not very generous pollen from Devonshire Cream.  I also selfed Devonshire Cream.  There are a few other crosses being attempted--but pollen here has not been very good up until this afternoon, due, I think, to the 18 degree freeze we had.  The abrupt freeze came after bloomstalks had begun extending upward from the apex of the rhizome and a number have no blooms.  Linda Mann has suggested frosts can cost one pollen even if the bloom is still apparently ok.

Today, however, I began to find at least some blossoms with good, ample, normal-looking pollen.

IN A HEARTBEAT (Christopherson) is opening.  We have had a terrific downpour early this evening probably spoiling its and everything else's pollen for the moment.  Today's crosses probably had enough hours to set if they were going to.  It may be late tomorrow before anything else is usable however, after we dry out.  That is--if we don't get a repeat of the late afternoon thunderstorms.  They are all around us every afternoon.

Our midseason has just gotten rolling.  Vienna Waltz and Sea Power have yet to open in the "North" cooler garden, and Last Laugh just opened today.  In the warmer "South" patch many TB's are about done for. A few late things are giving a fairly good showing.

Neil Mogensen  z 7  western NC mountains.