Hoping that's all it is, too.

I would cut the limp stalk off and discard it...... just to be on the safe side. I have had the swan neck that is stiff and it blooms anyway. But the limp swan bloom stalk is a sick bloom stalk. good luck.

Celia, here is Droopy trying to open today. Looks like no standards and few other missing parts.

It really is sad looking.

I thought the iris season ended here this week. But, the last iris to bloom this year was Ring Around Rosie on June 4th.
I took a picture on that date, but did not post it because it looked a little 'abnormal' somehow! Anyway, we worked the
entire day yesterday (June 5) cleaning iris beds of spent stalks, debris & wind damaged stems. As I walked by the
clump of 'Rosie' I notices she had an unusually dark bud ready to open, but gave it no more thought.


Above are the pictures from June 4th: I thought they looked a little 'abnormal' in color. They also have some purple
speckles in the standards that I cannot remember being there before.

When I made the rounds this morning, June 6th, I was stunned to see what is undoubtedly a chimera on the same stem
as a 'normal' bloom. I remember seeing the top bud yesterday; and thinking 'that's odd'. Below are photos illustrating
something I've never seen before on the same stem. It's kind of nice in an 'ugly' way. (Weird for sure!)

How odd. It's much paler and of different colors. I like them both but...it's weird.

I think it nice, but both those blooms are on the same stem? I've never seen anything like that before.

I'm curious what that 3rd bud will look like.

tveguy3 said:I think it nice, but both those blooms are on the same stem? I've never seen anything like that before.

Tom both are on the same stem. I just got back from taking another picture
shown here. Celia I'll watch the 3rd bud too. There is also one hidden beneath
the top flower.

That would be neat if you could get it to bloom like that all the time.

How fascinating! Mutating back to one of the parent's colors perhaps? Leon - you definitely win the prize for most interesting chimera of the year.

Lestv said:How fascinating! Mutating back to one of the parent's colors perhaps? Leon - you definitely win the prize for most interesting chimera of the year.

Leslie, I doubt that. I was hoping maybe a mutation, or possibly a sport. But with all the strange stuff going on this year nothing would surprise me! Just for fun I went out & pollinated all three stigmas with pollen from what was available at this late date: Starship Enterprise, Shadows of Night & Glacier Point. I know this sounds foolish, but who knows............ Also took some more pictures.

really odd, but fun.

Pretty cool!!

I don't think its ugly. I think its a pretty iris.

Gypsy Queen



Kiowa Rose......this one was in the "fall out zone'

I'd say at least half of this weeks blooms have been "odd", in some way, or the other.....strange petal counts, weird colors, etc. But, they are mostly "last buds" on "last stalks", so maybe that has something to do with it

Leon -- you definitely win the prize for weirdest bloom of the year. But I love it!!!

In the past the local Iris lady has told me the last bloom(s) can bloom weird. Since we live in zone 9 could the weird bloom be a combination of various things plus the freeze? Do reblooming Iris ever have weird blooms?

Muddymitts said:Leon -- you definitely win the prize for weirdest bloom of the year. But I love it!!!

Phillipb2 said:In the past the local Iris lady has told me the last bloom(s) can bloom weird. Since we live in zone 9 could the weird bloom be a combination of various things plus the freeze? Do reblooming Iris ever have weird blooms?

Mary Ann & Phillip, probably a one-time event which I've never seen on any iris. I mean double beards, single fall, single-no standards, etc., etc.
Song of Norway is notorious for this kind of stuff.


Then there's Yaquina Blue gone totally wild!


Gosh, you're all up so early!
Edited to add: I don't know about re-bloomers. I do not have any that I know. Total Recall was the last one I grew.