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Good Parents Make Good Children?

Good Parents Make Good Children? Sometimes. Bob Sussman

One of our/my more fun activities at the nursery is to hybridize pacific coast irises. It’s easy to do just a very long wait to see the results. Generally the more interesting the parents the more interesting the children but what constitutes and interesting parent? We’ll sort of depends and sometimes I pick correctly and sometimes not. If the results are good then I must have picked correctly. Sort of after the fact but that how things work. Anyway one of our crosses from a couple of years ago include two pacific coast irises with very well saturated colors and a very velvety texture. The parents are ‘Starry Night’ (Suncrest Nurseries) and ‘Now Showing’ and Ghio hybrid. Take a look:

(Pacific coast iris ‘Starry Night’ shown above)

 

(Pacific coast iris ‘Now Showing’ shown above)

To see the children from the “cross” takes between 2 and 3 years. This year was the second year for the cross and they irises were a bit late. Additionally on 3 out of 20 bloomed this year but here they are and they both have the good characteristics of their parents.

 

All really exceptional with another 17 or so due for this year. But when will these be ready for your garden, a good question. If and I do mean “if” everything goes pretty well these well be ready for your garden in the next 2 to 3 years. A long wait? Yes and for me too.

 

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Featured Plant

sphaeralceamagenta-copy-7

Identification

Botanical Name

Sphaeralcea 'Magenta Bob'

Common Name

desert mallow 'Magenta Bob'

Characteristics

Flower Color

Pink

Mature Size

3' tall × 3' wide

Climactic Requirements

Light

Full Sun / Filtered Sun

Water

Drought Tolerant / Occasional
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