Hybridizers: Questions about hybrids, 1 by

wrote:
ZM:
All are sure pretty. Too bad they don't come true from sees of you would hit the jackpot and could retire.

I used to grow the common types and the mini years ago when I first started to garden and didn't know about annuals and perennials. Now I grow only perennials.

At least you get results quickly. I am doing Iris and daylily crosses, the result in 2+ years. I have some from 2009 in my coldframe that I hope will bloom this year. I am aiming for hardy daylilies for the northern garden, and ofcourse beauty.

The tubular petals I don't think comes from genes. If I'm not mistaken, Gaillardia x grandiflora Is from a natural specie which I have grown and looks much like the grandiflora. There is nothing in its genes that suggests tubular petals. I think likewise with Zinnias. Most likely it is a freak of nature, or weather. I know that last year, 3 varieties of my Irises developed 4 falls instead of the usual 3. According to Schreiner (Iris breeder), it had something to do with the weather. Oddly, those that did, were grown in close proximity to each other.

Below is English Charm, one of the irises with 4 falls as you can see.

This message was edited May 15, 2011 9:51 PM