Tall Bearded Iris BURNT TOFFEE

The unusual is to breeders and some select growers a delight, toss in a unknown parentage or two and the intrigue goes to overdrive!! 'Burnt Toffee' is another of what I like to call my "Colour Chaos Irises" with it's original mysterious colour concoction. Smoky copper red-violet standards, brick red edged hafts with a airbrushed violet blue centre that expands down the falls and a decided margining of gold bronze, a blue beard tipped with bright old gold. Orange blossom fragrance. Impressive branching (3 plus spur). 'Burnt Toffee' disease-resistant foliage is a deep blue green, but plant has only average growth, eventually producing a stunning clump in the garden. For some though an acquired taste.

Schreiner’s Iris Lovers Catalog 1977
BURNT TOFFEE, (Schreiner 1977) ML. 37"
No one color completely characterizes this Iris for it subtly blends a gradation of several colors. Its standards are medium red-violet suffused with golden bronze. The falls present a change of pace. Their center is a pronounced blue-violet wash that diminishes to the precise border edging of gold-bronze. The beard starts as blue tipped but gives way to old gold deep down in the throat. Hafts are a metallic olive-gold-bronze. This smoky colored Iris is indeed unique! Three branches, 7 to 9 buds.

Eden Road Iris Garden, Wenatchee, Washington. 1979 Catalog.
BURNT TOFFEE, (Schreiner 1977) ML. 37" (Unknown)
Very effective blending of dark chocolate and blue-lavender. Beard is dull gold to blue. This one will make you stop and enjoy its rich coloring.

Tempo Two, Barry and Lesley Blyth, East Road, Pearcedale, Victoria, Australia, Season 1983-84
BURNT TOFFEE (Schreiner '77 USA) ML 37". A unique smoky Iris that subtly blends a graduation of several colours. Standards red violet suffused golden bronze. Falls gold bronze with blue flush through centre around blue beards. Good branching. (Parentage unknown) HM '79

AIS Checklist 1979
BURNT TOFFEE Schreiner's, Reg. 1977. Sdlg. G 1519-3. TB 37" (94 cm) ML.  Standards  light chocolate, flushed blue-lavender to center along midrib; Falls richer chocolate with darker chocolate hafts, blue blaze in center; dull gold to blue beard. Unknown parentage., Schreiner's 1977. 

Big hat tip to Calos Ayento of Brighton Park Iris fame for the 1977 Schreiner's description its much appreciated.

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