The first of these bloomed in 2002 and seeds from most were planted out in 2004 so we're just now finding out what a fertile hybrid might be good for. We noticed last spring that as a group they weren't affected by the cold temperatures that interfered with the bloom of our early and mid-season Siberians. As with the setosas, bloom appears to be prompted by day length.

  
  
  

From multiple crosses, we obtained over 57 seedlings. Not all in this group show purple on the bud sheaths or spathes. Some show no indication at all that they might be hybrid. Others produce seed that looks like a mix of both parents or standards that are a bit too rounded to be Siberica. A few very pretty seedlings have a throat that's just a bit "too yellow" to go unnoticed.

Mama is FLIGHT OF BUTTERFLIES from SIGNA seed labeled I. koreana and is about 24" tall here. If this is from COREANA (syn. Corea, Koreana, Siberica corea) it shouldn't be passing along purple buds and sheaths. The setosa parent tops out at 10".

 
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As a group, this cross gives the widest number of possible types. A large number of seedlings are considerably taller than either parent. This group also includes very short Siberica types, a couple of balanced hybrids (pictured above and introduced as 'Loophole' and 'Butterfly Convention'), and the one pictured below with setosa type leaves and blooms. Most but not all are fertile.

 

Notice that this seedling, while looking every bit like a setosa, holds her blooms well above the foliage like her Siberica mother. She's also considerably larger than the setosa canadensis and could almost be mistaken for one of the Alaskan setosas.