Gladiolus MM 21-47

Seed parent: MM 17-48b (G violaceo-lineatus x (priorii x gracilis) X unknown

Pollen parent: Gladiolus unknown

This hybrid has a couple of unknown ancestors, which implies to me that the flowers may be self-fertile, since I grow them in screenhouses that keep out most insects.

I say "most" because this particular flower was attacked by something, probably a cutworm. I've learned the hard way that cutworms get into my beds despite my best efforts, and if I'm not on the lookout they will eat the flowering stems of my Glads down to stubs. In this case I spotted the damage when I had half of one bud left. The stripes look promising, but I'll have to wait until next year to see the full flower.

Spraying the bed once a year with an insecticide keeps down the worms, and since the beds are enclosed I don't have to worry about accidently killing beneficial insects. But I often forget to spray at the right time.

MM 21-47a

Moraea MM 22-261

Seed parent: MM 18-340 (M. polystachya x bellendenii)

Pollen parent: MM 18-339 (polystachya x (lurida x villosa))

I have tried scores of times to cross M. polystachya with other Moraea species and hybrids. So far, the only cross that produced a definite hybrid was MM 12-52 (M. polystachya x speciosa). Most of the other crosses didn't produce seeds, but in about 20 cases they did. All of those seedlings, when grown to flowering, have been identical to M. polystachya. I strongly suspect that they are all self-pollinated polystachya clones, but just in case I have been crossing some of the "hybrids" together to see if anything hybrid-like emerges. So far those second-generation crosses have all looked like pure M. polystachya as well.

Case in point...

MM 22-261a. Nothing happening here, move along.

Gladiolus MM 21-497

Seed parent: Gladiolus gracilis

Pollen parent: G. priorii

As usual, crossing red and blue glads produces magenta offspring.

MM 21-497a