The Blue Iris Of Maui

The Louisiana Iris Clyde Redmond I bought mail order from a NY grower has finally bloomed after four or five years and one relocation in the garden. Just one flower. Just three fans. Coming from a NY grower I was hoping it would tolerate my cool and cold a tad better, but it has struggled. The Black Gamecock Louisiana Iris has done much better up here. It came from local stock.

I grew and propagated this blue iris on Maui. It began as a weed in a potted plant I bought at a flea market. I have no idea anymore what the actual plant I bought was. A tiny seedling that looked like a lily of some sort said save me. I did, just to find out what it was.

That weed seedling grew up to be a prolific deep blue Louisiana Iris of unknown parentage that bloomed in abundance and set seed leading to a pure white strain. Iris were not common on Maui. I remember the blue iris of Maui.

After twenty years on Maui, I moved just a bit outside of Clyde, NC as the crow flies. Somehow it became known to me that the blue iris of Maui was named Clyde Redmond. I had Black Gamecock growing here, why wouldn't Clyde? I had to have one through the looking glass. Clyde Redmond liked Maui better. I should take a sprig of Clyde to live beside a vat of pond scum and see if that helps. 

I am the junk man  in blue.