Black Forest


  • Photo by Carlos Ayento; taken at Brighton Park Iris

  • Photo by Carlos Ayento; taken at Brighton Park Iris

  • Photo by Carlos Ayento; taken at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens

  • Photo by Carlos Ayento; taken at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens

  • Photo by Carlos Ayento; taken at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens

  • Photo by Carlos Ayento; taken at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens

  • Photo by Carlos Ayento; taken at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens

ORIGINATOR: Schreiner

INTRODUCED: 1945

CLASS: Orignally Tall Bearded, now officially recognized as Border Bearded

HEIGHT: Orginally 33", officially 24"

BLOOM SEASON: Mid

DESCRIPTION: Purplish black self.

PARENTAGE: Dymia X Ethiop Queen

AWARDS: HM'46, AM'48

PBF: Unknown

INTERSTING INFO: From the 1945 Schreiner's Iris Lover's Catalog: One of our ultimate aims in hybridizing iris is to try and develop and iris “black as pitch.” For years we have been experimenting toward this goal. At the same time, we have been gathering and comparing the darkest iris created by other breeders. Our Black Forest is the most striking development we have flowered. It is several registers darker and deeper than any named variety we grow. Fresh blooms of Sable, Black Valor, Ethiop Queen and other famous blacks are all definitely lighter toned when compared directly. In color I is a rich, silky, ebon blue-black. The over-all effect with the blue beard and solid haft is truly like the sable vested night. For so deep a color it is bright and gleaming, decidedly not a dull iris. The flowers are medium sized, the stem is not tall, about 33 inches. Very well substanced flowers with firmly held standards and just a pleasant modified flare to nicely proportioned falls. No marking in the haft. A real monotone in the deepest coloring of any iris.

Terry Johnson of Heritage Irises has interesting blog about Black Forest in regards to the classification change. It is an interesting read: Black Forest Blog.