Moraea GK 1977

Seed parent: MM 15-80b (M. atropunctata x calcicola) X neopavonia 'Summerfield'

Pollen parent: MM 16-85a (aristata x gigandra) X (villosa a x tulbaghensis)

GK 1977_1

Photo by Garry Knipe

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 2023

Seed parent: unknown
Pollen parent: unknown

Occasionally I'll get a flower that clearly isn't what it was labeled as, but I have no idea what its parentage could actually be. So I just slap a year and a letter on it. That's what happened with this unusual Moraea hybrid, which has a weird dark greenish eye.

I stare at it and try to think where its characteristics came from. The dark central cup reminds me of M. gigandra, and the spots are a bit like M. atropunctata. There's a slight purplish color in the outer tepals, and the pointy inner tepals are uniformly dark, which is a bit unusual. I have no idea where that came from...

MM 2023a

Moraea MM 23-107

Seed parent: MM 17-118c (M. tripetala x calcicola) X unknown
Pollen parent: MM 17-118a (M. tripetala x calcicola) X unknown

I was trying to get offspring from a family of tripetala hybrids that have a very high bud count. This cross didn't have a lot of buds, but it gets credit for being the first 2023 cross to bloom for me.

MM 23-107a

Moraea MM 22-300

Seed parent: unknown
Pollen parent: unknown

According to my records, this should be a Gladiolus. Not so.

MM 22-300b

Moraea MM 22-295

Seed parent: Moraea villosa B
Pollen parent: Moraea villosa A

MM 22-295a. This is a gorgeous selection of M. villosa: big eyes, wide overlapping tepals, clear yellow cup.

Moraea MM 22-279

Seed parent: MM 18-21d ((M. aristata x villosa blue-green) x bellendenii) X (villosa (row 5 middle) x (atropunctata? x neopavonia))
Pollen parent: MM 19-45b ((M. villosa x tulbaghensis grn) x villosa D) X ((villosa x tulbaghensis grn) x villosa D)

Wow, this is a spectacular family of flowers, and they really pop in direct sunlight.

MM 22-279a

MM 22-279b

I am pretty sure this is the same plant in much dimmer light.

MM 22-279c

MM 22-279d

MM 22-279e

Moraea MM 22-271

Seed parent: MM 19-155a M. neopavonia thin blue eye X ((aristata x villosa) x atropunctata)
Pollen parent: Moraea atropunctata

MM 22-271a. Hmmm, this looks almost identical to the seed parent. But I know that it should have spots as a recessive characteristic, so if I make a cross between this and another spotted flower...

Moraea MM 22-242

Seed parent: MM 18-05 M. tricuspidata X atropunctata
Pollen parent: MM 18-05 M. tricuspidata X atropunctata

MM 22-242a

MM 22-242b

Moraea MM 22-240

Seed parent: MM 18-137 (M. tripetala x calcicola) X ((atropunctata? x neopavonia) x gigandra)
Pollen parent: unknown (OP)

MM 22-240a

MM 22-240b

MM 22-240c

MM 22-240d

MM 22-240e

Moraea MM 22-238

Seed parent: MM 18-106a (M. lurida x villosa H) X (villosa (row 5 middle) x (atropunctata? x neopavonia))
Pollen parent: MM 19-132a Unknown X (((atropunctata x calcicola) x gigandra) X (villosa x tulbaghensis))

Wow, this is a neat flower!

MM 22-238a

Moraea MM 22-233

Seed parent: MM 09-02d M. aristata X villosa
Pollen parent: Moraea atropunctata

MM 22-233a. This doesn't look at all like either parent, so I am suspicious.

Moraea MM 22-232

Seed parent: MM 18-09a M. bellendenii X ((aristata x (atropunctata? x neopavonia)) x ((atropunctata? x neopavonia) x (aristata x (atropunctata? x neopavonia))))
Pollen parent: MM 19-17a ('Zoe' original x M. neopavonia 'Summerfield') X ('Zoe' original x neopavonia 'Summerfield')

I strongly doubt these are identified right. They appear to be a hybrid involving M. villosa form o.

MM 22-232a

Moraea MM 22-231

Seed parent: MM 18-18c ((M. aristata x villosa blue-green) x bellendenii) X (tulbaghensis blue x villosa h)
Pollen parent: MM 18-334b ((M. villosa x tulbaghensis grn) x villosa D) X ((villosa x tulbaghensis grn) x villosa D)

MM 22-231a

Moraea MM 22-230

Seed parent: MM 18-24a M. tricuspidata X (gigandra x villosa h)
Pollen parent: MM 18-78a M. debilis X polystachya

MM 22-230a

Moraea MM 22-218

Seed parent: MM 16-85a (M. aristata x gigandra) X (villosa A x tulbaghensis blue)
Pollen parent: MM 18-322a (M. tripetala x villosa h) X ((aristata x villosa) x neopavonia sunrise)

I crossed my two biggest hybrids, hoping for really big flowers. But these are pretty typical.

MM 22-218a

MM 22-218b

Moraea MM 22-215

Seed parent: MM 16-64b ((M. atropunctata? x neopavonia) x (atropunctata x calcicola)) X (villosa B x (neopavonia x villosa weird))
Pollen parent: MM 14-146e (M. villosa x tulbaghensis grn) X villosa D

MM 22-215a

Moraea MM 22-212

Seed parent: MM 17-10c (M. tripetala x calcicola) X ('Zoe' sibling x atropunctata)
Pollen parent: Moraea tulbaghensis A

As usual, a cross of a pure orange flower with a purple one created orange-ish flowers. The next generation should be more interesting.

MM 22-212a

MM 22-212b

MM 22-212c