Below are photos of the seed and pollen parent of a cross with a goal of obtaining Miniature Div. 4’s (Double Daffodils). The bottom photo is of some of the seedlings from this cross. In Miniatures, I’ve found that everything doesn’t quite go as one hopes or expects……
This photo shows the seed parent used. It is a pleasant Miniature trumpet cross (Tanagra x Wee Bee) of no great merit from 1994. It has slight overlap and average substance with acceptable form. It is fairly consistent and a good seeder. Not very distinct, it looks like so many other Miniature 1Y-Y’s.
This is a photo of Guy L. Wilson’s ‘Wren’ a Miniature 4Y-Y that might be one of the best formed Miniature Div. 4’s that was on the Miniatures List from 30 years ago. I like ‘Wren’ very much as it can be very precise and clearly measures Miniature. On rare occasions it gives some pollen. In this particular year, I crossed three flowers of the top photo with the precious pollen scrounged from a flower of ‘Wren’.
The photo below shows some of the progeny from this cross that took seven long years to fully bloom out. I was enthused about the idea of using the pollen of ‘Wren’ until I saw the result. Whoever it was that said “A hybridizer’s year is made up of ten months of anticipation followed by two months of disappointment” was quite accurate.
I like names that bring a flower to mind and evoke the look of a flower. I have applied for the following names for this grex. ‘Loathsome Star’, ‘Dead Canary Feathers’, and ‘Double Ugly’ have been secured for this group of Miniature flowers. SIGH……..
Steve
You might have a winner here! Ugly enough to be attractive!
Wow Steve,
A very unique grex, I know of nothing quite like it. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Question? Just asking as I have only attemped one double cross and bloomed none. The Wren is very attractive, Is it possible you could have had better success using a pod parent with a flatter corona rather than a division one. It seems to me it would be very hard to achieve doubling on a long corona. What has been your experience hybridizing along those lines?
Regards,
Larry
Steve !
What are you complaining about ?
You got lots of that illusive green ! : )
Linda
Steve,
Check ‘Little Kiwi’ on Daffseek and it’s breeding. Here you have an almost miniature double with a strong jonquil fragrance.
Dave
Bob,
I still don’t like the outcome of the cross but will record your vote for ‘Double Ugly’.
Larry,
As you know, there aren’t many worthwhile “traditional” Div. 2’s available yet in Miniatures. I have used the following species attempting Div. 4 Miniatures: N. rupicola, N. watieri, N. assoanus, N. fernandesii, N. gaditanus, N. calcicola and N. scaberulus. I’ve worked on the preceding species and now have some really nicely formed species to use as parents. I’ve also had really nice results using Intermediates like ‘Brooke Ager’ and ‘Cayenne’ as examples. Also have many crosses with Miniature poets. These do grow larger on the plant for me which is also a bummer.
Linda,
As far as complaining, I do remember talking with Sid DuBose on the phone years ago and asking him, “What is (Ben) Hager doing at the moment?”. Sid’s reply was, “He’s out in the field grumbling at the flowers”. I guess I can relate…..
David,
Nice flower! Really nice Intermediate. I’ve gotten things around the same size using Rod Barwick’s ‘Oh Kaye’, ‘Giggler’, and ‘Iwanta Blush’. ‘Brooke Ager’ x ‘Iwanta Blush’ has given heavy doubling, Intermediate size, excellent form and pink color.
Steve