Eric Nies Medal

The Eric Nies Medal is the highest American Iris Society award given strictly to a spuria Iris. The Eric Nies Medal is actually a plaque. Legend has it that Ben Hager, who had won almost every medal possible, complained that they all went into a drawer and the he wished he had something to hang on his wall. The Spuria Society fulfilled his dream.

History By Clarence Mahan…..........................related links; Awards; 2015 Eric Nies Medal Candidates.

This medal is restricted to spuria (SPU) irises. It is named in honor of Eric Nies (1884-1952).

Eric Nies was born in Saugatuck, Michigan, the son of Dutch immigrants. He graduated with a BS degree from Michigan State College, where he was a star pitcher on the baseball team. In 1913, he and his wife Grace moved to Los Angeles, California, where he taught high school botany and agriculture for many years. He was a man who was praised for his beautiful singing voice, his wit and his charm.

Soon after Nies moved to California, he became interested in irises of all types. He obtained his first spuria irises from Jennett Dean, who operated one of the first iris specialist nurseries in the U.S. Spurias were his special interest. His first cross was with I. orientalis with 'Monspur'. He interbred seedlings from this cross, and in the second generation there was a virtual explosion of color: blue, lavender, brown, bronze and cream. Some of these early cultivars, the forerunners of great advances in spuria irises, are 'Bronzspur', 'Saugatuck', and 'Azure Dawn'.

Even during his lifetime, Nies was recognized as the foremost breeder of spuria irises in the world. Marion Walker took over his seedlings and breeding lines after he died in 1952. One of the Nies cultivars introduced by Walker is 'Driftwood', which is chocolate-brown with a gold flush. It won the Nies Award in 1959.

List of Eric Nies Medal winners - Spuria (SPU) Irises:

'Red Warlord'
2024 - Lee Walker
'Hot Chili'
2023 - J. T. Aitken
'Ode To A Toad'
2022 - Brad Kaperek
'Ibex Ibis'
2021 - Brad Kasperek
'Steely Don'
2021 - J. T. Aitken
'Red War Clouds'
2019 - Lee Walker
'Lemon Chiffon Pie'
2018 - Anna & David Cadd
'Line Dancing'
2017 - B. Charles Jenkins
by Comanche Acres
'Castor River'
2016 - David Niswonger
'Missouri Morning'
2015 - David Niswonger
'Golden Ducat'
2014 – Anna & David Cadd
'Missouri Orchid'
2013 - David Niswonger
'Solar Fusion'
2012 - Lee Walker
'Speeding Star'
2011 - Anna & David Cadd
'Missouri Dreamland'
2010 - David Niswonger
'Missouri Autumn'
2009 - David Niswonger
'Elfin Sunshine'
2008 - Charles Jenkins
'Missouri Orange'
2007 - David Niswonger
'Adriatic Blue'
2006 - David Niswonger
'Missouri Iron Ore'
2005 - David Niswonger
'Missouri Rainbows'
2004 - David Niswonger
'Missouri Sunset'
2003 - David Niswonger
'Sunrise In Missouri'
2002 - David Niswonger
'Missouri Springs'
2001 - David Niswonger
'Ila Remembered'
2000 - Ben Hager
'Sultan's Sash'
1999 - David Niswonger
'Missouri Rivers'
1998 - David Niswonger
'Countess Zeppelin'
1997 - Ben Hager
'Chocolate Fudge'
1996 - David Niswonger
'Cinnamon Stick'
1995 - David Niswonger
'Son Of Sun'
1994 - Floyd Wickenkamp
'Betty Cooper'
1993 - Eleanor McCown

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List of Eric Nies Award winners - Spuria (SPU) Irises:

In 1993 the first Eric Nies Medal was awarded, Previously the Eric Nies Award was equivalent to an Award of Merit. Note that most classifications within the AIS Awards System began with Award of Merit (AM) equivalent Awards, later elevated to Medal status. At this transition, previous Award winners from a specified period of time re-competed for the higher Medal honors. Thus there are some duplicate entries (*) .

'Dress Circle'
1992 - B. Hager 'Highline Coral'
1991 - E. McCown 'Cinnamon Stick'
1991 (*) - D. Niswonger 'Destination'
1989 - B. Hager 'Janice Chesnik'
1988 - E. McCown 'Son Of Sun'
1987 (*) - F. Wickenkamp 'Betty Cooper'
1986 (*) - E. McCown 'Imperial Gold'
1985 - E. McCown 'Adobe Sunset'
1984 - E. McCown 'Highline Honey'
1983 - E. McCown 'Fergy's Poetry'
1982 - W. Ferguson 'Imperial Ruby'
1981 - E. McCown 'Buttered Chocolate'
1980 - D. Niswonger 'Ila Crawford'
1979 - B. Hager 'Clarke Cosgrove'
1978 - B. Hager 'Proverb'
1977 - W. Ferguson 'Forty Carats'
1976 - W. Ferguson 'Imperial Bronze'
1975 - E. McCown 'Marilyn Holloway'
1974 - B. Hager 'Archie Owen'
1973 - B. Hager 'Port Of Call'
1972 - B. Hager 'Highline Lavender'
1971 - E. McCown 'Baritone'
1970 - W. Ferguson 'Connoisseur'
1969 - B. Hager 'Dawn Candle'
1968 - W. Ferguson 'Elixir'
1967 - B. Hager 'Wakerobin'
1966 - W. Ferguson 'Morningtide'
1965 - Walker 'Thrush Song'
1964 - W. Ferguson 'Golden Lady'
1963 - R. Combs 'Cherokee Chief'
1962 - E. Nies 'Dutch Defiance'
1961 - E. Nies 'Lark Song'
1960 - E. Nies 'Driftwood'
1959 - Walker 'White Heron'
1958 - Milliken 'Sunny Day'
1957 - H. Sass 'Wadi Zem-Zem'
1956 - Milliken

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-- BobPries - 2009-10-14

• 'Missouri Autumn' Terry Aitken photo:
• -- AlainFranco - 19 Jan 2012