Iris hybridizing is a numbers game - Springtime in the Fall

Iris hybridizing is a numbers game. Surplus bed space becomes a necessary evil. Most cross pollinations do not yield promising seedlings. The challenge is always finding room to plant the latest crop. A keen eye always helps in the selection process.

A tiny genetic pool is still a major hurdle for rebloom breeding. Will a given seedling have appealing flowers, bud count, sturdy well branched bloomstalks and reliable fall flowering? Evaluation can be a lengthy process. The seedlings mentioned on this page are promising, but they still may never reach the registration stage. If cool season rebloom is going to move forward with the gardening public in the coming years, new colors, combinations and patterns must be found in all bearded classifications. Like the lottery, you must be “in it to win it!”

Breeding Program–Future

Tall Bearded Reblooming Iris Seedlings

Standard Bearded Reblooming Iris Seedlings—8"–14"