tveguy3 said:You got the same color as Grateful Red, and it seems that all you got from Red Skies was the ruffles............]
Tom, in this color class, improvements are more often than not, incremental. My goal was not merely a change in color, but advancement in flower form and increased hardiness and growth. It is that goal that I still must work towards. Iconic, which I've grown since its introduction is a indifferent grower, prone to botrytis in our winters. So it wouldn't be an asset to my goals. Much stronger candidates in my locale, if I wanted to further the line, would be House Afire, Valentino, Hearts on Fire, Call to Danger, Bevs Babe, Cherokee Blaze, or a warm toned luminata such as Volcanic Glow, or Affair to Remember. Also, adding a variegata to the mix can brighten up the color as well as add interesting two toned color combos.
I've achieved my desired goal in the flower department with this cross, but the slow increase may need a few more generations to get rid of. Also the red class tendency towards winter hardiness and botrytis/rot issues are other items on my TB red bucket list that I'd like to try and improve upon.
