Moraea MM 18-264

Seed parent: MM 12-144a (M. gigandra X neopavonia)

Pollen parent: Moraea villosa form o

MM 18-264a. The seed parent is an orange gigandra-type flower flushed with a bit of reddishness. That reddish color came across in this flower, although this flower makes it look a lot redder than it actually is...

This is closer to its actual color in person.

MM 18-264b. Wow, I love the icy blue eyes on this one.

MM 18-264c

Moraea MM 2021

Seed parent: Moraea unknown

Pollen parent: Moraea unknown

Two random seedlings popped up in my plant beds this year. I don't know their parents, but they're nice looking plants, so I'm using them in breeding.

MM 2021a

MM 2021b

Moraea MM 18-344

Seed parent: MM 12-67a (M. villosa b X villosa d)

Pollen parent: MM 13-10a (aristata x villosa) X neopavonia 'Sunrise'

Wow, this cross produced a large number of vigorous plants with all sorts of interesting color patterns on them...

MM 18-344a

MM 18-344b. I love that rainbow effect.

MM 18-344c

MM 18-344d

MM 18-344e

MM 18-344f

Here's another one. I originally had it tagged as form d (thinking the orange faded to yellow, which often happens). But looking at the photo now, I think they are two different individuals.

Moraea MM 18-339

Seed parent: Moraea polystachya

Pollen parent: MM 12-193a (lurida X villosa f)

Is this a hybrid or a self-pollinated accident? The flower looks identical to species polystachya, so I am thinking this is not a hybrid. But these plants bloom in the spring, whereas species polystachya blooms in the fall and winter. I don't get it. I am trying some F2 crosses to see if I can sort it out.

Moraea MM 18-334

Seed parent: MM 14-146a (M. villosa x tulbaghensis) X villosa d

Pollen parent: MM 13-89a (villosa x tulbaghensis) X villosa d

This is a cross between two very nice villosa-type flowers, one orange and the other fleshy pink. The results are impressive.

MM 18-334a. Nice flower.

MM 18-334b. Oh my goodness, this is one of my favorite Moraea hybrids ever.

Moraea MM 18-333

Seed parent: MM 14-146b (M. villosa x tulbaghensis) X villosa form d

Pollen parent: MM 13-69b (tulbaghensis X villosa form h)

Both parents are nice flowers -- one is orange with a big magenta blaze in the center; the other is yellow-orange with elaborate markings. I am very pleased with these flowers and want to repeat the cross.

MM 18-333a

MM 18-333b

MM 18-333c. Wow, the coloration in this one is spectacular!

MM 18-333d. This one looks a lot like form a, but look closely: there are spots in the central cup.

MM 18-333e. This one has very nice markings compared to most of my hybrids, but its siblings are so nice that I didn't pay as much attention to it.

MM 18-333f

Here's another one. Or maybe it's form e.

Moraea MM 18-330

Seed parent: MM 14-192a (M. aristata X (villosa x tulbaghensis))

Pollen parent: MM 13-94a (tulbaghensis X villosa)

I've been trying to breed for bright yellow flowers with big eyes; this cross is a sign of progress.

MM 18-330a

Grown by Garry Knipe under the label GK 1979:

GK 1979_1

Moraea MM 18-329

Seed parent: MM 13-84d (M. loubseri X ((atropunctata x neopavonia) x (atropunctata x calcicola)))

Pollen parent: Moraea villosa o

I am very happy about this cross. The seed parent is a purple-orange hybrid that resembles M. loubseri. The pollen parent is a bright magenta and blue flower. Combining them produced some very richly colored flowers.

MM 18-329a. This one is very dark and mysterious. I like the pointed tepals (from M. loubseri) and the vivid blue eyes (from M. villosa).

MM 18-329b. Wow! Note the orangey color on the backs of the tepals.

MM 18-329c. Check out the crazy long inner tepals, like purple dental floss.

MM 18-329d

Here's another one...

Moraea MM 18-327

Seed parent: MM 14-146d (M. villosa x tulbaghensis) X villosa d

Pollen parent: MM 14-153b (villosa h X tulbaghensis)

MM 18-327a, The parents are two flesh-colored flowers with streaks on the tepals. They produced an interesting offspring. I like the intense coloring of the eyes.

MM 18-327b. This one is very different from its sibling.

Moraea MM 18-326

Seed parent: MM 14-21a (M. villosa h X tulbaghensis)

Pollen parent: Moraea villosa o

Here's another villosa o hybrid that looks mostly like villosa o.

Check out the yellow central cup on this one.

This one has an orange cup with dark speckles.

And here's an orange cup with no speckles in it.

Moraea MM 18-322

Seed parent: MM 13-171a (M. tripetala X villosa h)

Pollen parent: MM 13-10a (aristata x villosa) X neopavonia 'Sunrise'

Not the most spectacular flower, but each one lasted for more than a week (compared to 3-4 days for a typical Moraea). So I made a lot of crosses with it.

As for the colors, this is one of those flowers that I have trouble understanding. The seed parent is a very petty hybrid with streaky violet tepals and a deep green eye. The pollen parent is light yellow-orange with a darker orange blaze in the center. I don't know how you get white from that combination, but what the heck.

MM 18-322a

This plant is notably vigorous. It's taller, has bigger flowers, and a higher bud count than most other Moraea hybrids. I'm using it heavily in breeding as of 2023. This photo gives you an idea of how big it is:

Here's a sibling:

Moraea MM 18-321

Seed parent: MM 13-69c (M. tulbaghensis X villosa h)

Pollen parent: MM 13-69d (tulbaghensis X villosa h)

The parents are a couple of pinkish-looking villosa-type flowers, and sure enough their offspring is pinkish-looking.

Moraea MM 18-319

Seed parent: MM 13-69b (M. tulbaghensis X villosa h)

Pollen parent: MM 13-69d (tulbaghensis X villosa h)

Moraea MM 18-316

Seed parent: M. neopavonia 'Summerfield'

Pollen parent: villosa form o

MM 18-316a. These photos aren't the greatest quality, but the flowers are a nice rich orange flushed with a bit of red.

The color is pretty intense when the flower opens (left bloom), but it fades over time (right flower).

Photo by Garry Knipe

My records say this is also form a, and the shape of the flower matches, but if it's form a then it's very faded.

Here's a sibling. Similar color, but note the wider/shorter inner tepals.