If you're new to this blog, you can start with the introduction here.

Friday, June 30, 2023

Moraea GK 1927

Seed parent: GK 1699 MX_21 (Moraea unknown)
Pollen parent: MM 13-69c (M. tulbaghensis with dark eye X villosa form H)

GK 1927a





Thursday, June 29, 2023

Moraea GK 1212

Seed parent: Moraea villosa form C
Pollen parent: Moraea villosa form F

A villosa cross raised by Garry Knipe.

GK 1212_1



Moraea GK MX_2

This is a selection of M. villosa from cultivated sources, raised by Garry Knipe.

I love the reflective sheen in the eyes of this flower.


Moraea GK 1210

Seed parent: Moraea villosa form B
Pollen parent: Moraea villosa form D

GK 1210_8

GK 1210_11


Moraea GK 1612

Seed parent: GK 1210_11 (Moraea villosa form B X form D)
Pollen parent: GK 1210_8 (Moraea villosa form B X form D)

This is a nice pinky-mauve selection of M. villosa, with electric blue eyes. From seeds bred by Garry Knipe.

GK 1612a


Moraea GK 1511

Seed parent: GK MX_2 (Moraea villosa)
Pollen parent: GK 1212_1 (M. villosa form C X form F)

This is a villosa selection bred by Garry Knipe. He gave me seeds which grew into this flower.

GK 1511a








Saturday, June 17, 2023

Moraea GK 1803

Seed parent: GK 1699 MX_4 (parents unknown)
Pollen parent: MM 14-146b ((M. villosa x tulbaghensis) X villosa)

These are excellent flowers, with bright eyes and speckled contrasting rings around the eyes. I eagerly collected pollen from them and used it in a lot of crosses.

GK 1803_1


GK 1803_2


GK 1803_3

GK 1803_4

Here's a family photo:





Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Moraea GK 1603

Seed parent: GK 1329_3 ((M. aristata x villosa) X atropunctata)
Pollen parent: MM 12-139b ('Zoe' X atropunctata)

GK 1603_1. I love the dot pattern on this flower.




Sunday, June 4, 2023

Gladiolus MM 20-136

Seed parent: MM 15-38c 11-03 X 11-22 (G. viloaceo-lineatus x (gracilis x priorii)) X (violaceo-lineatus x (gracilis x priorii))
Pollen parent: MM 16-46b (gracilis x priorii) X ((gracilis x priorii) x viloace-lineatus)

A cutworm or slug did a number on this flower. I'll have to wait until next year to discover what it looks like, but the stripes look promising....






Gladiolus MM 20-70

Seed parent: MM 11-36 (G. tristis X carneus)
Pollen parent: Unknown (open pollinated)

MM 11-36a. I don't know what the seed parent was, but it turned the hybrid purple.




Calochortus MM 19-163

Seed parent: Calochortus venustus burgundy form
Pollen parent: MM 15-126a (luteus X vestae)

This plant looks very much like the seed parent. The flowers are dark magenta when they open (right) and fade a bit as they age.




The reverse side of the flowers is a silvery gray color.





Gladiolus MM 19-113

Seed parent: MM 15-83e ((G. gracilis x priorii) x unknown) X patersoniae
Pollen parent: MM 15-83f ((G. gracilis x priorii) x unknown) X patersoniae

The parents are both pale-colored flowers splotched with dense markings, so I was surprised that their offspring is bright cerise. I think the color is beautiful; too bad the flowers are so narrow. There are a couple of other seedlings from this cross that haven't bloomed yet, and I'll be interested to see how they look. 

MM 19-113a







Friday, June 2, 2023

Gladiolus MM 19-102

Seed parent: Gladiolus MM 16-52 (G. watsonius X ((gracilis x priorii)x unknown))
Pollen parent: Gladiolus MM 11-14b ((gracilis x priorii) X carinatus)

I crossed a very nice red flower with a vivid purple one. The result was not nearly as colorful as I had hoped.






Gladiolus MM 19-01

Seed parent: Gladiolus marlothii
Pollen parent: Gladiolus debilis

This looks a lot like species marlothii. The species seems to self-pollinate readily in my garden, and I suspect that's what happened in this case.