■(TB) 'Pinnacle'

1949, Stevens

'Pinnacle' (Jean Stevens, R. 1945) TB. 35" (89 cm). Midseason bloom. ('Magnolia') x (('Gudrun') x ('Lady Morvyth' x 'Rangatira')). Schreiner's 1949. Honorable Mention 1949, Award of Merit 1951.

See below:

• * References

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References:

From Schreiner's Iris catalog, 1949: PINNACLE (Stevens 1949) M. 38". It takes an outstanding Iris to carry this significant name but this is an outstanding Iris. Developed in New Zealand, it was instantly apparent when the first flower unfurled that here was one of those significant "breaks" in hybridizing, the creation of something distinctly different. So impressed were we with this Iris that we offer it this year to the Iris public as an American introduction. Pinnacle is pre -eminent both in beauty of coloration and perfection of form. This distinguished Iris is unique because of its singular color combination-absolutely clear white standards and smooth primrose yeJlow falls. The blooms are wax like and beautifully molded. The good habits, branching, heavy substance and colors of daffodil freshness combine to give us a lovely, lovely Iris. We greatly regret that we were unable to get a good reproduction of this Iris due to some imperfection in the color film. In our years of experience with Iris we have never seen an Iris like this. In fact so highly do we regard it that we feel it merits placement in the 100 Best Iris. We consider it one of the finest Iris it has been our privilege to offer. $20.00.
From the Stevens Bros. catalog for 1952-53: Many years ago we set out to raise an iris with standards of purest white and falls of gold, being moved thereto by our pleasure in this fresh and lovely combination. Little by little as the years went by we have seen these colours developing amongst our seedings until in November of 1944, there unfolded this flower, which by reason of its snow white standards rising from the primrose falls we have named 'Pinnacle'. It is not the white and gold of our original ambition - which we have called 'Summit' - and is a very different combination. 'Pinnacle' is large and beautifully formed and with excellent substance, and the plant has ideal growth habit. fresh, cool, flawless in its purity of colouring and absolutely unique, this iris has won the awards of the American Iris Society of the Honorable Mention in 1949, and then the Award of Merit in 1951, with a record number of the judges' votes, and has become world famous. I was most interested in seeing Pinnacle here [Oregon], and there were long rows of it growing well. I liked it but at the same time did not feel that it was finished or complete of its type. The falls are a pale primrose yellow so that there is not too much contrast between them and the standards, and the haft is somewhat rough with white lines on it. On the other hand, the form is excellent and it really is a white and yellow bicolor. So many irises approaching this type have cream standards with a splash of yellow color at the haft fading out to white or cream at the edge of the falls. Pinnacle has pure white standards and the falls, while light in color, are a smooth yellow to the edge". [Jesse E. Wills (Tenn.), “Iris Impressions 1949,” The Bulletin of the American Iris Society_, No. 115 (October 1949): 19-20.]
PINNACLE (Stevens) "This is undoubtedly the first good iris of new color pattern, but it gives one the impression of approach rather than completion. It is more pleasing at a little distance than it is close up. While there could be more contrast between the white standards and the pale yellow falls, this is not its main fault. There are rather heavy white venations on the haft which detract considerably from it upon close inspection. Form and substance are good and it has a nice garden effect." [Jesse E. Wills (Tennessee), “Varietal Comment, Irises Seen in Nashville” The Bulletin of the American Iris Society, No. 123, (October 1951): 72.]
From Phil Edinger (2023): Keith Keppel received a complete record of Jean Stevens' crosses from Schreiners, which reveal that the '49CL omitted one generation from Pinnacle which, critically, omitted 'Lagos'! The full Pinnacle parentage is: 'Magnolia' X seedling 1/P78, (a sibling to 'Southern Alps' which is (('Lagos') x (('Gudrun') x ('Lady Morvyth' x 'Rangatira'))).
Historic Iris Preservation Society gallery link.

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-- MikeUnser - 2009-11-25