>J5. Iris 'Alley Oops' > >guessed as a rare cross between I. pseudacorus and some Siberian > >Iris. This is an odd chromosomal mix and surely it is sterile. >Jane McGAry replied: >This sounds very similar to 'Holden Clough', which I have in this >garden. Dear Jane and all, Sort, but only slightly. 'Holden Clough', named after the UK nursery where it was found was known to be a seedling of a 40 chromosome or Sino-Siberian and guessed at the other parent. Some people think it is I. pseudacorus, others favor I foetidissima. It is a bit tender here and I can't keep this one going. 'Alley Oops' is a cross with a 28 chromosome or Garden Siberian with an unknown, but guessed to be I. pseudacorus. Siberian Iris Series contain 2 distinct groups of species: Sino-Siberians with 40 chromosomes each and a half dozen species, and the more common garden siberians with only 3 species (siberica, sanguinea and typhifolia). There's one know cross between these two groups. Oddly both groups are all found in China (And some spread a bit further afield) 40 chrom siberians have been crossed with a lot of other iris most notably PCNS to make a group known as Cal-Sibes. The 28 chrom species form the basis of most modern garden siberian iris, but there are relatively few wide crosses. ......and there's relatively few people trying these odd crosses , so when one turns up like 'Alley Oops' or the earlier 'Holden Clough' we all sit up and take notice. Best Jim W. -- Dr. James W. Waddick 8871 NW Brostrom Rd. Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711 USA Ph. 816-746-1949 Zone 5 Record low -23F Summer 100F +