Tall Bearded Iris PAUL BLACK

A intoxicating, bold, nicely ruffled violet blue self – with absolute knockout orange vermilion beards. Nice fragrance. Consistent in colour, has show branching form and great bud count. High health plants with a generous increase. From a classy cross  'Tom Johnson' (Black 1996) X 'Star Fleet' (Keppel 1993). Ticks all the boxes this one, and comes with a most impressive award list, The Franklin Cook Cup 2004, Honorable Mention 2005, Walther Cup for most Honorable Mention votes in 2005, 1st Place International Iris Trials in Florence Italy 2005, Award of Merit 2007, Wister Medal 2009, Dykes Medal 2010. Very glad to have this iris growing at home.

Tempo Two, Pearcedale, Victoria, Australia. Iris, Daylilies, Hosta Catalogue 2005-2006.
PAUL BLACK (Johnson 03 USA.) ML 42" Rich regal purple self with metallic sheen. Beards are a screaming dark orange. Excellent show stems with ten to twelve buds.(Tom Johnson X Star Fleet) HM 05 Walther Cup 05 for most HM votes.

BOURDILLON IRIS Champagne 41230 Soings en Sologne. Iris- Hémérocalles - Pivoines. Collection 2013.
PAUL BLACK  €10,00  MT.1m. DM 2010.
Entièrement bleu nuit avec une barbe orange. Sépales larges aux longues ondulations. Plait beaucoup !

Cayeux, La Carcaudière - Route de Coullons, France. Iris Lovers Catalogue, 2013.
PAUL BLACK ML - 105 cm 2011 £ 10.80
Excellent in every way! Ruffled, richly coloured, plain, dark to mid purple-blue flowers, contrasting strongly against the orange beards. Superb stems bearing 11 to 12 buds. This beauty is combined with vigorous growing habits and a spicy scent. Winner of numerous prizes when it first came out and awarded the Dykes Medal in 2010.

Schreiner's, Salem,Oregon, 2013 Collectors Edition, Iris Lovers Catalog.
PAUL BLACK (Johnson 03) ML 42"
This stunning dark purple self demonstrates all around excellence. Paul Black's tall show-bench stems bear 11-12 triple-socketed buds. Its large flowers have excellent ruffled form and are smoothly saturated in dark purple color. The dark orange beards create a fascinating color combination. A pronounced spicy fragrance enhances its appeal.Franklin Cup '04, HM '05, Walther Cup '05, 1st Place International Iris Trials in Florence Italy '05, AM '07, Wister Medal '09, Dykes Medal '10.

Mid-America Garden, Salem, Oregon. 2013 Catalog.
PAUL BLACK (T.Johnson 03) Mid violet blue. Orange beards. Lovely perfume. Winner of Dykes Medal 2010.

AIS Checklist 2009
PAUL BLACK (Thomas Johnson, R. 2002). Seedling R103A. TB, height 42" (107 cm), Mid Late bloom season. Medium dark purple blue; beards dark orange; pronounced spicy fragrance. 'Tom Johnson' X 'Star Fleet'. Mid-America 2003; Franklin Cook Cup 2004; Honorable Mention 2005; Award of Merit 2007; Wister Medal 2009; American Dykes Medal 2010.

A bloody terrible iris to photograph with any camera but digital cameras seem to be worse. The light-meter thinks its focusing on the dead of night so automatically engages the flash. Believe it or not the only way I could get this photo to work was a early dawn shot and set the camera to anti-blur.
As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter

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Tall Bearded Iris SOME LIKE IT HOT

'Sopra Il Vulcano' featured in the previous post was introduced in 1998. So just let’s fast forward a few years after this bright and colourful event to when Paul Black crossed the seedling labelled 12A ('Apricot Topping' (1997) x 'Romantic Evening' (1994)) with pollen of 'Sopra Il Vulcano'. The result was a Tall Bearded Iris Paul registered as 'Some like it Hot' in 2007 and just last year its pure class was recognised by an Award of Merit. The point? Just this - all the irises that Paul has used in this cross are not the latest but do contain greatness. If a New Zealander were to choose to cross two irises from the 1990s (twenty year or under average) there is a choice of over 500 irises to choose from the current commercial listings. Actually, if you wanted to emulate the Paul Black cross, all the Irises he used to get 'Some Like it Hot' are freely available in New Zealand so there is no barrier to producing a 'Modern Iris'.
Sometimes there are thoughts I have relating to Irises that seem to be out of left field. You know what it is like – you sometimes feel like you're the only one who thinks that way. Maybe you're best to keep them to yourself!! Or... you can always stand up, have your say - and see how it is received. So to gauge just how far out of left field I was, I wrote to Paul Black specifically outlining my opinions on hybridising in New Zealand and soliciting his frank opinions which I have always valued. Paul has kindly given me permission to publish his reply below for all to read.

"Here is an individual shot of ‘Some Like it Hot’ and also a clump shot. I hope you're able to convince hybridizers there to move forward with what they have. With all the recent hybrids that were imported to New Zealand prior to the change in regulations, they have everything we have except the latest things incorporating some of the mixed chromosome hybrids being explored by myself and others via the small flowered TB breeding program. The TB gene pool has really been relatively static for a lot of years. No new species have been added so we're all in effect stirring the same gene pool round and round. Take a look at the parentage of my 2012 introduction 'Fire and Ice'. 'Bliss Bomb' is 2001 intro and 'Cloud Berry' is 1996. 'Fire and Ice' is as nice as anything else currently being marketed. Once a person has several parents that breed form, substance, branching, buds and vigor, he/she can then do the fun work of adding color and pattern while always being mindful and selecting for the other good traits. Actually the hybridizers there have the potential to create better hybrids than we in the U.S. do. Because of the awards system here, hybridizers pay too much attention to "fluff" rather than plant habit. New Zealand hybridizers can be more concerned with gardenability which is far more important than color, pattern or fluffy form. Weak standards are a trait that has crept into modern hybrids and is getting worse with each year. Also some hybridizers don't worry to much whether their hybrids have poor branching and buds. I am very unforgiving of such traits while AIS judges seem willing to forgive them to have new colors and patterns. I figured out early in my hybridizing program that if you allow major faults in your hybridizing then it comes back to haunt you when you finally get that great color or pattern break. There are times when I have a selected seedling that it takes me 5 or so years to finally figure out how I want to use it and ditto some named varieties. Take a look at my 2012 intro, 'Yield'. It isn't exactly new breeding.
I did take a look at the collections of several of the commercial growers in New Zealand. Based on what I saw, I wouldn't be unhappy with what was available. For those wanting to hybridize with plicatas, I'd for sure use ‘Master Plan’. It has some great genes that weren't exploited much at all. Match it with 'Epicenter' or 'I've Got Rhythm' and someone should be able to make rapid progress. 'Sea Power' has been a good parent for a lot of people. Someone could pair it with ‘About Town’ and probably create some interesting advanced generations. If you have any of these, they are also still very much worth using, 'Goldkist', 'Fogbound', any of the 'Ring Around Rosie' kids which goes back to 'Wild Jasmine'. 'Wild Jasmine' is a very interesting parent and if someone has it, it is worth exploring further even though it is quite old now.
I think it is that old classic: "Is the glass half full or half empty?".

~~~~~~~

Mid-America Gardens Catalogue
If you like hot, sizzling, vivid colors, then SOME LIKE IT HOT is for you. It positively glows. Even with its shorter stature, it will still attract a long line of admirers. Standards are dark, rich apricot heavily infused rose up their midribs. Strongly flared falls are velvety black-cherry with precise ⅛inch bands of iridescent red. Burnt orange beards complement both standards and falls. Heavily ruffled flowers are wide and blocky giving them a very masculine feeling. 32" (81 cm) Sdlg. L104A: (Apricot Topping x Romantic Evening) X Sopra il Vulcano. HM 2009, AM 2011.

AIS Checklist
SOME LIKE IT HOT Paul Black, Reg. 2007 Sdlg. L104A. TB, 32" (81 cm), ML Standards buff peach infused medium purple up midrib; style arms buff peach; Falls dark wine, thin paler rim, dark wine veins over buff ground around dark orange beards, velvety; ruffled; pronounced sweet fragrance. I2A: (Apricot Topping x Romantic Evening) X Sopra il Vulcano. Mid-America 2007. HM 2009.

Pod and Pollen Parents
AIS Checklist

APRICOT TOPPING Paul Black, Reg. 1997 Sdlg. 8924A. BB, 25" (64 cm), M; S. apricot orange, slight violet midrib infusion; style arms apricot orange; F. blended wine red darkest in center, apricot to white rays around orange beard, apricot rim and petal reverse; ruffled, lightly laced; slight sweet fragrance. Spiced Cider X Glitz 'n Glitter. Mid-America 1997. HM 1999, AM 2001.

ROMANTIC EVENING Joseph Ghio, Reg. 1994 Sdlg. 90-56W. TB, 36" (91 cm), ML; S. lilac blue; F. smooth blackish red purple; beards deep brick. 88-14: ((83-73-J2: (Success Story x (Fancy Tales x Alpine Castle)) x ((Persian Smoke x Entourage) x ((Strawberry Sensation x (Artiste x Tupelo Honey)) x Borderline sib))) x Costa Rica) X 88-215: (Witch's Wand x 86-3, Costa Rica sib). Roris 1996. HM 1998, AM 2000

SOPRA IL VULCANO Augusto Bianco, Reg. 1998 Sdlg. 390-A. BB, 27" (69 cm), M ; S. and style arms blended rose, buff and copper; F. velvety red wine, border slightly lighter, distinct white striations on shoulders and around smoky carrot beard; ruffled; slight spicy fragrance. Love Chant X (Sunrise Sunset x Shenanigan). Contemporary, Iride 1998.

As always clicking on the above images will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and heartfelt thanks to Paul Black and be sure to visit his website at Mid-America Garden

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Paul Black's Favorite Iris Seedling 2012.

Email received from Paul Black today who writes "We've had quite a nice bloom season with just enough adverse weather to challenge the durability of the irises we grow. Here is a picture of Mid-America Garden on May 20. I'm also attaching a picture of one of my favorite new seedlings for this year. It is a broken color line that comes from completely different breeding than the old Ensminger / Kasperek lines."

My first impression 'An outrageous prism' and you can see with the clump shot every petal is totally different, its certainly unusual. Here's hoping it passes all the hoops for introduction and long may it live!!!

Hows that for a Iris garden!
As always clicking on the above images will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and heartfelt thanks to Paul Black and Thomas Johnson and be sure to visit their website at Mid-America Garden

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Tall bearded Iris "SPRING KISS"

'Spring Kiss' ( Paul Black, R. 2000). Sdlg. C39G . TB, 36" (91 cm), EM. S. and style arms medium violet; F. medium violet, center aging to pearl violet, darker blended band, inner haft veined brass; beards gold, wide; ruffled, lightly laced; pronounced sweet fragrance. 'Spring Satin' X 'Goldkist'. Mid-America 2000. AIS Checklist 2000

When two earlier Paul Black introductions, ‘Spring Satin’ and 'Goldkist' started going steady it produced an amazing halo Iris . Named after a play on the parents names, "Spring Kiss" was only introduced in 2000 but it has all but disappeared in the Commercial Iris world. Whilst the early blooms are only of a medium size it grows really well for me. Standards colour is a soft violet orchid-lavender, the flaring Falls are pearly violet white haloed in the standards dominant colour, which gives strong carrying power in the garden.

The pedigrees of both the parents below show the close bloodlines.

'Goldkist' (Paul Black, registered 1993). Seedling 89162A. TB, height 36" (91 cm), mid season bloomer. Standards white; style arms white with slight gold tips; falls white, 3/4" wide yellow gold hafts, purple striations between haft edge and bright yellow gold beard; ruffled. 85150A: (('Coffee House' x 'Hombre') x ('Old Flame' x 'Instant Charm')) X 8774A: ('Porcelain Ballet' x ('Tequila Sunrise' sibling x 'Entourage')). Mid-America 1993.

'Spring Satin' (Paul Black, registered 1988). Seedling 85154B. TB, height 35" (89 cm), late season bloom. Standards white with gold halo; falls orchid violet, paler in center, edged darker; deep bright yellow beard; white styles tipped gold; slight spicy fragrance. 83314E: ('Old Flame' x 'Instant Charm') X 83311B: ('Tequila Sunrise' sibling x 'Entourage'). Mid-America Gardens 1989.

Available in America from Stout Gardens at Dancing Tree.

In New Zealand this season it will be available from Amazing Iris Garden 

As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter

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Tall Bearded Iris "ABOUT LAST NIGHT"

A cross of two 1980 irises, Bill Maryott's 'Witches' Sabbath' and Paul Blacks 'Oklahoma Crude' both purple blacks Irises with mustard beards, gave Paul Black a Deep Black Iris with yellow beards and a glowing red heart. A very attractive fragrant iris with the ability to rebloom an unusual trait in black irises so if you only have room for one Black Iris in your garden why settle for a solo performance when 'About Last Night' could give you an encore in Autumn.I have not tried it yet but it is reported to be fertile. I grow a clump of three plants and the above photo shows Jean Steven's 'Watchfire' in the background so it grows with some classy company.

AIS Checklist 1999
ABOUT LAST NIGHT (Paul Black, R. 1999). Seedling B137A . TB, height 30" (76 cm), Mid bloom season. Standards purplish black; style arms deep purplish black, black midline and tan edges; falls black, hafts veined cream; beards bright yellow gold, wide; pronounced sweet fragrance. 'Witches' Sabbath' X 'Oklahoma Crude'. Mid-America Garden

Available in New Zealand from Julie Mays 'The Iris Garden' (see link on left-hand side of blog) In America you could try Williamson Farm Flowers

Clicking the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter

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Tall Bearded Iris 'ANNOUNCEMENT'

Photo taken at home this morning.

AIS Checklist
ANNOUNCEMENT (Paul Black, R. 2002) Sdlg. F158AA. TB, 34" (86 cm), M
S. pastel cameo pink, slight crystalline rim; style arms pastel pink, violet midline; F. pastel blue violet, pale violet white halo edge, white haft with few tan veins; beards tangerine, violet flounce; ruffled; slight sweet fragrance. To the Point X Lookout Point. Mid-America 2002 HM 2004 AM 2006

Its good to get the view of hybridisers concerning their introductions and Paul sent me these comments on 'Announcement' in an email this morning.
"I've been very pleased with 'Announcement' both in the garden and in the AIS awards system. It received an AM in 2006. It has been very consistent in formation of the appendages. It also opens the flowers without distorting the falls which happens often with space-age irises. It also forms a relatively tight clump which I also like."
$SOLD OUT last season at Mid-America Iris Nursery so look forward to it next season if you live in America.Not listed this current season with any New Zealand Iris grower that I have received a catalogue from.

Clicking the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.

Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter

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Arilbred Iris 'PRAIRIE THUNDER'

Arilbred Irises are starting to strut their stuff and today we have blooming, Paul Blacks first Arilbred introduction, PRAIRIE THUNDER, which went on to win the William Mohr Medal in 1998.Not sure who you can buy it from in New Zealand but it is still available from Mid-America Iris Gardens in the States

Aril Society International Illustrated Official Checklist 2006

PRAIRIE THUNDER OB- (Paul Black, R. 1990). Sdlg. 86407A. AB (¼), 25” (64 cm), M. S. violet blue; olive tan styles; F. pale violet shading to tan edge; dark burgundy spot around beard; blue white beard tipped brown black; slight spicy fragrance. 83158C: (Cindy Mitchell x Silver Finery) X Welcome Reward. Mid-America Iris Gardens, 1990.

As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter.

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