Iris ensata 'Pin Stripe'
13th July 2008
Either you like it or you hate it, but the forms of Iris ensata do amazing things with colour and pattern that are quite unlike
any other herbaceous plant.
Raised by Walter Marx and registered in 1954. It is a seedling raiseed from a cross between 'Osamaru-miyo' and 'Helene'. It flowers early and should have blue veined white flowers.
My plant is probably wrong and looks too pale though it is not entirely certain.
The Marx gardens catalogue for 1955 says:
PIN STRIPE (Marx 1954) Each $3.75. A most refined and delicately veined selection remindful of 'Helene'. Superior in every way the colour pattern is sharp and clear,
pure white ground and pencilled bright blue. Tufted centers of white styles and petaloids brushed blue violet. The overall colour pattern is much lighter than
'Court Jester' a sister seedling. The 4 foot stems are well branched and bear 4 to 5 flowers in midseason.