Seed Harvest ~ Beginning of the cross ~ Part 1 of 3.

Hybrid Cross NZ031-08




On December 8th 2008 I began the serious effort in crossing some of the Japanese iris. In one of this crosses I used "Iapetus" which is a 6 petal or double form and decided to use this plant as my pod parent plant.

This flower, would once fertilized, be used to grow and carry the developing seed pod till maturity ready for harvest.

I wanted to try to create something stunningly different from the norm so I choose "Wind Drift" a 3 petal or single form with clean white petals and light to heavy vivid pink violet marbled streaks in the standards. I could imagine a flower that would standout and smile at me in the garden.

I guess when you begin, being a little green behind the ears, that the first lot of flower crosses are a great start which I can only but learn from here in.

I have numbered this cross NZ031-08. So as time progress this will be the reference point of my dairy account of these two varieties with their progress from germination to flowering in 18 months time. Let the adventure begin.

So what could I expect from this cross and what could be the end results. I will discuss this in part 3 of 3 of Seed Harvest ~ Homozygous and Heterozygous flowers.

1: IAPETUS "Pod Parent".


"Iapetus" a 6 petal flower was introduced by Sterling Innerst in 1987. This seedling 1540-2 was a cross of ("Narihira" x "Valiant Prince") X "Frostbound". This seedling was originally named "Horae" and changed to Iapetus for registration and introduction.

This Japanese iris was awarded an Honorable Mention (HM) 1990, Award of Merit (AM) 1994









2: WIND DRIFT "Pollen Parent".

"Wind Drift" a 3 petal flower was introduced by H Stahley and created by A. Vogt in 1983.

3: Pod maturing ready to harvest.


Just beginning to split and crack open. This cross was made in early December it is now about 80 days of development of the seed pod. Once pod has swollen and is just beginning to crack it is time to think about harvesting the pod.

If it still needs a little more maturity time then cover with a nylon stocking or use the end of the panty hose to stop seed falling while catching the seeds if it continues to split further.


Seed pod started to colour up from green to a light yellowish green to a brownish red.

4: Big cracks forming.

Mature seed pod at risk from opening to far and spilling the seed into the plant below or to allow rain to enter and could allow mold to spoil or damage or destroy seed by rotting or to germinate prematurely. Watch for insect damage as well.

Japanese Iris, Iris ensata " Light at Dawn"

Mid Season / Late Japanese Iris.

Iris ensata
" Light at Dawn "

Another stunning Japanese iris from the garden of Walter Marx.




This is a 6 petal creation which stands out in a proud bunch. It grows well in the Otara Birch Gardens making it's own statement when flowering in my garden display.This iris produces shorter stems of large beautiful flowers in mid to late season.

The 6 petal white flowers have a neat narrow border of blue. The outer areas stippled in blue / violet. Nice clean white styles with a touch of wood violet at the tips of the petals.


The flowers look very beautiful in a garden display with its striking presentation which smiles and radiates in the soft evening light.

I enjoy picking this variety to put in a solid vase to admire on my lounge table.

This plant grows really well for me with lots of beautiful clean foliage with stems held proudly above the upright arching foliage. It produces an abundance of flowering stems on a well formed stunning clump in late December.


It grows to a height of 79 cms (32 ins) and flowers mid to late season in New Zealand, while flowering in the late season else where in the world.





Another beautiful variety created by Walter Marx. This selected seedling 56-153, being registered and introduced in 1957.





Available in New Zealand and around the world.

Windless Wednesday

My Autumn Driveway.

"Ho!

for the leaves that eddy down,
Crumpled yellow and withered brown,

Hither and yonder and up the street
And trampled under the passing feet;


Swirling, billowing, drifting by,
With a whisper soft and a rustling sigh,

Starting aloft to windy ways,
Telling the coming of bonfire days."
- Grace Strickler Dawson, Bonfire Days

Iris ensata "Confetti Shower"

Early / Mid Season Japanese Iris.

Iris ensata
" Confetti Shower"






Another stunning soft but subtle Japanese iris that grows well in the Otara Birch Gardens making it's own statement when flowering in my garden display.




This iris produces tall stems of huge beautiful flowers in early to mid season. This 6 petal rose violet purple flowers which looks very beautiful in a garden display.

The striking rose - ground, violet, blue stippled petals, purple veins extending into the purple banded halo. Brilliant dark purple style arms complimenting the presentation of this beautiful flower.

The flower smiles and radiates in the soft evening light.

The plant grows really well for me with lots of beautiful clean foliage with stems held proudly above the upright arching foliage. It produces an abundance of flowering stems on a well formed stunning clump in early December.

Another beautiful variety created by Walter A. Payne. This seedling was crossed from selected seedling Payne seedling 30 X Payne seedling 82, being registered and introduced in 1950.



In 1964 this iris was awarded with a Bronze Medal from the International Horticultural Exhibition, USA.

It grows to a height of 122 cms (48 ins) and flowers mid season in New Zealand, while flowering in the early to mid season else where in the world.

Available in New Zealand and around the world.



Please click on the photo's to enlarge.

Windless Wednesday

The Final Curtain.



What a beautiful time of year to wander through my garden and contemplate the passing of time.

To see how the sharpness of Autumn cold....

has highlighted the leaves from green....

to scarlet and gold....






Soon time to rest....

to conserve....

to gather energy....

as the winter months unfold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Come said the wind to
the leaves one day,
Come o're the meadows
and we will play.
Put on your dresses
scarlet and gold,
For summer is gone
and the days grow cold."
- A Children's Song of the 1880's

Japanese Iris 'CRYSTAL HALO'

Early / Mid Season Japanese Iris.

Iris ensata
" Crystal Halo"

Growing at Otara Birch gardens a fantastic angel of deep violet petals surrounded with a bight white halo in mid season lasting two to three weeks in its flowering makes it's own statement.

This iris produces tall stems of huge beautiful flowers measuring 5 - 6" across in early to mid season. This 6 petal purple has a white band on the flowers which stands out being very spectacular in a garden display when planted on mass.

The striking purple centres with a bright 1" halo set around the edge of the huge petals, purple veins extending into the white halo. Brilliant dark purple style arms complimenting the presentation of this beautiful huge flower.This flower smiles and radiates in the early evening light from some distance catching the eye with its bold presentation.

The plant grows really well for me with lots of beautiful clean foliage and tall ram rod stems held proudly above the upright arching foliage. It produces an abundance of flowering stems on a well formed stunning clump in early December. Excellent pod parent for use in any hybridizing program.

Another great variety created by Walter Marx from the many hundreds that he considered to release.


This seedling 49-43 was produced from crossing two Higo seedlings, being registered in 1958 and introduced by him in his 'Walter Marx Gardens' in 1959.

It grows to a height of 97 cms (38 ins) and flowers mid season in New Zealand, while flowering in the mid to late season else where in the world.

Available in New Zealand and around the world.

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.

Windless Wednesday

Autumn in my driveway.

May is a time when the garden starts to drop the final curtain on its performance for the year as the Autumn colours slowly appear through the blanket of green.

The scrunch of dry leaves under foot.
Scrunch... Scrunch... Scrunch.
What a colourful time to be seen.

Hybridizing for Seed ~ Part 3 of 3

Hybridizing Japanese Iris for Selected Seed.

How?

Photo 5: In this photo the style is at the top of the style arm with the stigma at centre of the lip. After you have removed the falls and anthers the flower still needs time to mature. This can take from a few hours to the following day for the stigma to mature and open out away from the style in order to be receptive to receiving the pollen.

I plan it so that I remove the petals from the unopened flower the day before I want to do the cross.Then the next morning once the dew has gone I proceed with my transfer of pollen onto the open stigma which the style arms are more flexible for handling. If you leave the transfer to the afternoon on that second day the style arm have become very stiff and erect or turgid and it is very easy to damage the style arm while making the crosses with my big fingers trying to hold the style arms. More care is needed. I find that if I am not careful I snap the style arm and therefore you only have two stigmas left to transfer pollen to. I have been known to damage two stigmas in trying to do my cross by breaking off the style arms and the third transfer pollinated forming seed in only one cavity of the ovary.

Photo 8: In this photo, it shows the pollen and the receptive open stigma. The process of the transfer of pollen is complete. In the centre of the open lip is the open stigma ready to receive any pollen placed on the lip. Try to gently place heaps of pollen on the stigma for the cross to succeed.

You can use a very soft brush or tooth pick with bruised ends to fray the end, then apply the pollen to this area of the stigma. You can also use your finger as the pollen grains, when dry, will adhere to it or use the open anther and rub it gently downwards over the open lip.

Thoroughly clean any brush used between crosses in a alcohol solution and allow to dry completely between any changes in pollen parents.

If there is very heavy rain over night, hold over your pollen from the pollen parent and prepare another pod parent flower ready for the following day.
You can place a small plastic cover bag over the 3 style arms overnight to act as an umbrella only to protect them if rain is forecast. Please remove early in the morning before the sun hits the prepared flower to prevent sweating of the flower parts.

Once the transfer of pollen has taken place, your cross is safe after 2 to 3 hours if gentle rain comes in the afternoon. Or if rain is immanent then again place a small plastic bag over the flower style arms will allow time for pollination process to occur. Remove bag after rain passes.

If heavy rain follows without cover there is the likelihood of your cross succeeding being reduce severely or could fail. Then plan to do the cross again a few days later if you have sufficient pollen and pod parent flowers to achieve this.

Once the pollen is placed on the stigma, the microscopic pollen tubules grow down inside the style arms from the stigma to the ovules in the ovary for fertilization to occur. Each pollen grain fertilizes one egg in the ovary forming one fertile seed. Many seeds will form in the ovary but not all will be fertilized. In only a few hours, fertilization takes place so any rain after this time is nothing to worry about.

Photo 9: In this photo is the cross on the pod parent plant.

The style arms will wilt over the next few days after the cross has taken place and within the week of passing, swelling of the ovary will begin to show. The cross must be clearly labeled and tagged with a water proof label.

A number of the cross and a date is all that is needed at the plant. Record the details of pollen parent and pod parent in a note book for further references to be used in later years.

Good luck and do not be afraid to give it go.

Please click on the flower photo's to enlarge.

Acknowledgment. Some information used in the blog was gained from the book "The Japanese Iris" written by the late Currier McEwen. "An international authority on the history and cultivation of the Japanese Iris." This book is a bible on information for those dedicated to the growing and promotion of the Japanese Iris.

Hybridizing for Seed ~ Part 2 of 3

Hybridizing Japanese Iris for Selected Seed.

How?

Photo 4: Take a set of tweezers to remove the immature anthers from the flower. In a single flower ( 3 falls) the 3 anthers are easy to see and be removed. In multi-petaled flowers ( 6 falls ) there are extra petals which come from the development of stamens and/or style arms, the stigmas may be absent or vestigial and the anthers attached to the petals without any filaments making the cross impossible. So select a variety with strong style arms and stigma so you can achieve your cross.
Look to see the 3 style arms and remove all immature anthers.
See Photo 4.
This photo shows the styles at the tips of the style arms. On the underside of the style is a lip which at the central point of this lip is the Stigma.The closed immature stigma here is held tight against the styles needing time to mature and will open outwards to receive the pollen.

Photo 6: This photo shows the immature undehisced anthers (unopened anther) and the dehisced anthers ( opened to release the pollen) showing the ripe mature pollen grains on the surface of the open anther.

Photo 7: Is ripe mature anthers containing pollen grains ready to use and transfer to an open stigma. I collect the opening anthers from flowers of my pollen parents a day or two before hand or on the same day as I remove the falls from the balloon staged unopened flowers of my pod parents which I have selected. Planning in advance and collected more anthers than necessary is required for your selected crosses. But sometimes nature on the day changes your best plans so go with the flow and have some alternative crosses as a back up. I store them on a plastic lid in a dry situation away from direct sunlight to allow the anthers to open and mature ready to use. Try to keep the anthers at room temperature to dry. Avoid getting damp. A tooth pick can be used to remove pollen from the opening anthers as well.

See Part 3 and 3 to follow my hybridizing blog.

Please click on the flower photo's to enlarge.

Acknowledgment. Some information used in the blog was gained from the book "The Japanese Iris" written by the late Currier McEwen. "An international authority on the history and cultivation of the Japanese Iris." This book is a bible on information for those dedicated to the growing and promotion of the Japanese Iris.

Hybridizing for Seed ~ Part 1 of 3

Hybridizing Japanese Iris for Selected Seed.

A hybridizer is someone that deliberately takes pollen from one variety and crosses it with another, thus creating more hybrids.

Why?

To continually select plants with desirable traits to achieve goals through many generations or to obtain specific objectives. By selecting plants for the cross you can control both desirable and undesirable traits. The fun and challenge of this recipe is to determine what characteristics you would like to add to individual seedlings to accomplish a better flower form than what you started with.

So what are the main aims to make a flower even better that what we have now?

With the introduction of new exciting colours. Such as pure blues, pinks, reds and yellows or the introduction of yellow into the falls and standards.

- Better, wider angle branching habits with more flowers per stalk.

- More substance in the petals for durability, texture, substance for hardiness and longlitivity of the flower life.
- More ruffles on the falls.

- More multiple parts to producing 6 petals ( Doubles), 9 and 12 petals (Peony types).

- To extend the flowering periods and encourage reblooming later in the season.

- To introduce shorter growing varieties for smaller gardens. (Miniature or dwarf).

- To introduce better leaf foliage or variegated leaves with more vigor.

- Fragrance is always a must to flowers.

- A better tolerance to grow in alkaline soil conditions.
- A better tolerance to summer heat.

When?

The best time is when the flowers are coming into their flowering season. Pick a flower which is in the balloon stage of being an unopened flower. Meaning the petals are full and just about to unfold.
See photo1.

Once the flowers are fully open your time to seize the moment may have been lost and the insects have already beaten you to the punch and fertilized the flowers while you where catching that extra forty winks. You have to beat the insects before they get there.You need to remove the petals (falls) that attract them to land on the runway and get in first if you would like to achieve the crosses you desire.

How?

Photo 1: Select an unfolding flower before the bees can gain access to the flower. Carefully remove the falls to expose the internals of the flower. Try not to damage the styles, style arms and immature anthers with in the flower.

To late in this photo of ones choice as the flower is already open. I have used this photo as an example of an open multi-petaled (6 falls) flower to show you what to do for the removal of the falls.

Photo shows the styles, styles arms and falls.

Photo 2: Begin carefully, the removal of the falls which are the landing pad or runway for insects to be attracted too. On landing they will seek the nectar from the flower base.



Thus resulting in pollinating the flower with it's own pollen ( Self pollination) or with pollen from another variety ( Natural cross pollination) as their hairy body brushes past the style containing the stigma.

The stigma is the receptive part which receives the pollen thus transferring any pollen from the insects body.

Photo 3: With the removal of the last fall one can then breathe easy and continue with the next step to be done.

The style carries the stigma which is supported by the style arms.

The green sheath or spathes, as they are called, give support to the central parts of the flower while protecting the ovary.






See Part 2 and 3 to follow my hybridizing blog.

Please click on the flower photo's to enlarge.

Acknowledgment. Some information used in the blog was gained from the book "The Japanese Iris" written by the late Currier McEwen. "An international authority on the history and cultivation of the Japanese Iris." This book is a bible on information for those dedicated to the growing and promotion of the Japanese Iris.

Iris ensata "Silverband"

Early / Mid Season Japanese Iris.

Iris ensata " SILVERBAND "

A stunning variegated sport of Iris ensata spontanea. A very hardy iris that grows well in a garden. It can withstand a dry shady position but does better in a moist soil area in full sun.This iris produces variegated stems of small sized beautiful flowers which sit just above the foliage in early to mid season. Rich 3 petal dark purple flowers with a small bright yellow eye on the falls that stands out on the silver white and cream on green/ grayish green striking foliage. In a garden display, when planted on mass, is spectacular. It has a smaller flower size very similar to the I. ensata species with a delicate flower presentation.

This very hardy plant grows really well for me with lots of beautiful clean variegated upright foliage. It produces a heavy amount of flowering stems on a well formed stunning clump. Mainly prized for it's stunning variegated foliage. Unlike many variegated plants that revert to green in the heat of summer I. ensata "Silverband" retains its variegation throughout the entire season.

This variety was imported from Japan by Arthur Hazzard being a variegated sport of I. ensata spontanea. Synonym was I. ensata 'variegata' being registered as I. ensata "Silverband" by Robert Bauer & John Coble in 1989. It was introduced by Ensata Gardens, Michigan in 1989. The very attractive foliage on this Japanese iris won the plant an Honorable Mention Award in 1992.

It grows to a height of 90 cms (35 ins) and flowers mid season in New Zealand, while flowering in the mid to late season else where in the world. The plant does not appear to set seed readily, flowers are possibly sterile, or the plants will not come true from seed. Propagation is from division of rhizomes after flowering or in the springtime as new shoots emerge.

Available in New Zealand and around the world.

Windless Wednesday

Oh my Lotus.
My beautiful Lotus flower reaches tall to the heavens to present itself outside my bedroom window.

For 4 to 5 days from tight perfect bud to full bloom it opens in the morning sun and closed as darkness creeps in. So beautiful but such a short time in it's flowering.













I grow it in mud in a 4 foot diameter concrete water tough positioned in full sun. I cover it over winter to protect from the frost.
Each year it rewards me with up to 15 blooms and loves heaps of fertilizer to grow tall and proud.

Iris ensata " Electric Glow "

Mid Season Japanese Iris.

Iris ensata "Electric Glow"

This stunning Japanese iris grows well in a garden and can withstand a shady position.This iris produces tall stems of medium sized beautiful flowers in early to mid season. The sea blue flowers stands out in a garden display when planted on mass with it's spectacular 6 petal form of Iris ensata " Electric Glow ".

The stunning blue colour is very beautiful. Has clean sea blue petals with a lighter blue rays with a soft violet edge on the petals. It is smaller flower size but it smiles and radiates in it's colours in a garden. It stands out with its delicate flower presentation. I enjoy this one, picked to be placed in a tall vase on my dinning table. A choice variety to grace my table.

Excellent pod parent which I have used to some of my hybridizing program this season.

The plant grows really well for me with lots of beautiful clean foliage and tall ram rod stems held proudly above the upright arching foliage. It produces an abundance of flowering stems on a well formed stunning clump in early December.

This variety was created by Terry Aitken. This seedling 86J3 was produced from crossing "Electric Rays" X "Midnight Stars", being registered in 1992.

Introduced by Terry at his 'Aitken's Salmon Creek Gardens' in 1992. This very attractive Japanese iris has achieved great success after its introduction winning awards for Honorable Mention 1995, Award of Merit 1998, and the Payne Medal 2002.


It grows to a height of 97 cms (38 ins) and flowers mid season in New Zealand, while flowering in the mid to late season else where in the world.



Available in New Zealand and around the world.

* Acknowledgement: - 2003 Cumulative Check list of the Japanese Irises complied for The Society of Japanese Irises.