Moraea MM 22-80

Seed parent: MM 18-57 (M. tripetala x bellendenii) X ((villosa x tulbaghensis grn) x villosa D)
Pollen parent: MM 18-151b (M. gigandra x villosa h) X (gigandra x villosa h)

This is one of my typical "I wonder what that would do" crosses. The seed parent is a pale yellowish hybrid that grows vigorously. The pollen parent is a very vivid purple flower with intense blue eyes. What should you expect when you cross yellow and purple? I dunno. In this case, we got some flowers with a purple blaze around the eye that fades toward the outer edge of the tepals. It's intriguing, and breeder Garry Knipe is encouraging me to try for more flowers with this color pattern. I think he has a point.

MM 22-80a. Fairly wide inner tepals.

MM 22-80b.  This shows the blaze very strongly, but the eye is not as good.

MM 22-80c. I like how the speckles extend all the way to the outer edge of the central cup (compare to cross a).

MM 22-80d