There have been lots of us "Historic Iris Lovers" who have "tilted at this windmill", for quite a while!
Imperial Blush was introed by Hans Sass, and one of the parents was Aphrodite, the other parent was Rheingauperle (Goos & Koenemann). It had fairly wide distribution, and was ....or is.......grown pretty widely. In my efforts to find an example of "IB", I received plants from three "fairly accurate "sources....and all three were "different irises" ! Two of those three have been "test grown" by a fairly well respected "iris expert", and his idea was they WEREN'T "IB", and he didn't know WHAT they were. The third example...he wasn't sure about. So, several of us started "swapping plants around", and none of our "Imperial Blushes" really seemed to match one another.
Now to further "muddy the water", Hans' brother, Jacob, used Hans' iris, Trostringer, along with iris Aphrodite, in HIS breeding program, and registered: (Aphrodite pops up, again !)
Pink Satin in '30
Helen Field Fischer in '39
Pink Opal in'34
Twin Sisters in'32
Pink Demoiselle in '38
all these were the results of the same cross (Trostringer X Aphrodite). All of these are VERY similar (some more so , than others) and of the whole lot, it's *my opinion* that Helen Field Fischer had the widest distribution. The "Real" helen Field Fischer (the lady) was the sister of "Henry Field", who ran a very populars Seed and Nursery company....and he naturally sold irises, and, it's my thinking that one he sold a LOT of was "Helen Field Fischer". Besides being his sister, "the Real Helen" was a noted "plant expert" of her day, and hosted a very popular radio program about flowers, plants, etc.
in ordering...from different sources....examples of what were "supposed to be" Imperial Blush, Pink Satin, and "Blue Hill (another Hans Sass iris, with no parentage listed)....Helen Field Fischer (or what we THINK is Helen Field Fischer!) turns out to be sold...or passed around...quite often as these "other" irises ! So this is going to be a real, tough nut to crack ! I, too, have examples of my "noid" being grown all over the country, ....by some fairly knowledgeable growers, and, some have said, "Oh!, That's "IB"", others say "Pink Satin", and still others, "Helen Field Fischer".......and while it *may* be a perfect match for their "test plant", the real problem is...is the "test plant" correct ? With out an example of "IB" (or Helen", or Pink Satin, or 'whatever") that has been grown, continuously , in the same place, since it was acquired "from the hybridizer", one can't be sure that the identity is "true"
!
Please keep us posted on your findings, as there are quite a few folks interested in this !
(edited to correct parentage of Imperial Blush....my goof!!)
