I agree. Some years it is more prevalent and some years it is almost non-existent. I think in my area it depends on the amount of rain we have. The drier the winter the less PBF.

Thanks Arlyn and Bonnie... I know with some that it's stronger in the spring. Right now, there's not even a hint.. but I'm going to keep a watch on it. I've been fooled by mis-named varieties before.

question...Can a dwarf iris ever be bred successfully to a TB? You know, like a chihuahua to a Great Dane?

Yes, but it takes a "super bee" to get the job done.

Yes. And the results are varied and a lot produce commercial irises.

a bee with a ladder

That's how you can bet IBs, although they can bloom at different times during the season, harvest the pollen & save it in the frig until the correct time.

How long can pollen be saved? I'm curious about the opposite cross, saving pollen from late bloomers till next year to use on early ones.

Another way to handle that, Neal, would be to find someone growing it in another "zone", and have them mail it to you.

Arlyn, do you do crosses? I've never attempted it, but find it all very fascinating. The only time I've tried crossing a plant was Clivia, just out of curiosity because my orange and yellow ones were blooming at the same time. The 4 seedlings I ended up with are on their 4th year; its said to take 7 years to reach blooming size from seed, so I'm past the halfway mark!

I have worked with other people, but we put pollen in a coin envelope in a jar in the frig. It often works, even not as well as fresh. some people freeze it, but I have not tried to do that.
the jar has 'flower dri' in it.

No, Neal, I don't "Daub Pollen", although it does sound like a fun thing to do ! Just growing the "OP" iris (O ther P eoples) takes pretty much all my garden time.

I know I'd really be pulled down the rabbit hole if I went there, so I can't....to preserve whats left of my sanity, LOL.

I hear ya, Neal!!!!

Hey, for all you sissies out there, I live in the rabbit hole and I am serving tea and scones............ come on down. (evil laugh here)

LOL!!!

I have so many holes--and a maze of tunnels between them and lots of dead ends
sometimes, I think I may come across some crumbs of scones... and I gobble them up

Mine are gopher holes

chipmunk holes here plus we have them in our stone wall.