Babiana MM 22-299

Seed parent: Babiana blanda

Pollen parent: Unknown

MM 22-299a. Unfortunately, there was no tag on this seed pod, so I don't know what the pollen parent was. But it's interesting that this hybrid of a pink flower ended up mostly white.

Fritillaria striata

In 2019, Jane McGary shared seed of this species, which were provided to her by the Tejon Conservancy in southern California. In the past I have had very poor results growing Frits in pots. I think Fritillaria bulbs do not tolerate well the super-dry summer conditions in a pot. So I planted these seeds in one of my raised beds, and settled in to see what would happen. The plants teased me with single spoon-shaped leaves for six years, and then in spring 2026 I finally got some flowers. 

Better yet, two individuals bloomed, and I was able to cross them, so now I can raise more plants and share seeds with others. Thanks, Jane!

As you can see, the flowers are nodding bells the size of a fingertip, delicate and elegant. I like the fine striation inside the flowers, but you have to tip them up or do some gymnastics to see it.

Check it out: The three inner tepals have a very thin picotee edge on them, which the outer tepals lack.

This is a different individual, with fewer striations but tepals that flare more.

Moraea MM 20-367

Seed parent: MM 17-34a ((M. tripetala x calcicola) X neopavonia)

Pollen parent: MM 17-63b (atropunctata x (atropunctata x calcicola)) X (atropunctata x (atropunctata x calcicola))

MM 20-367a

Moraea MM 21-137

Seed parent: MM 13-33 (M. villosa F X C)

Pollen parent: MM 13-33 (villosa F X C)

Moraea MM 22-51

Seed parent: MM 13-89a (M. villosa x tulbaghensis grn) X villosa D
Pollen parent: MM 14-146e (M. villosa x tulbaghensis grn) X villosa D

MM 22-51a. Hmmm, I don't know. Usually the double-ring eye is a thing caused by M. bellendenii or M. tricuspidata, and they are not involved in this cross.

Moraea MM 22-44

Seed parent: MM 18-322a (M. tripetala x villosa h) X ((aristata x villosa) x neopavonia sunrise)
Pollen parent: MM 19-109a (M. villosa A+ x villosa D) X ((villosa x tulbaghensis grn) x (villosa x tulbaghensis grn))

MM 22-44a

MM 22-44b

MM 22-44c (was a)

Moraea MM 22-42

Seed parent: MM 18-16a ((M. aristata x villosa blue-green) x bellendenii) X ((villosa x tulbaghensis grn) x villosa D)
Pollen parent: MM 13-33e M. villosa F X villosa C

So interesting. The seed parent is a cream-colored flower with a beautiful multicolored eye courtesy of M. bellendenii. The pollen parent is a nice white villosa form. I was hoping for he villosa shape with a multicolored eye, but instead the yellow of bellendenii re-emerged. It makes me wonder if the flower was self-pollinated, which happens sometimes with bellendenii.

MM 22-42a

MM 22-42b

MM 22-42c

MM 22-42d

MM 22-42e

MM 22-42f