1939, Rees
'Snow Flurry' (Clara Rees, R. 1939). TB. Early midseason bloom. Color Class W1, Blue white, ruffled, sweet fragrance. 'Purissima' X 'Thaïs'. Salbach 1939. Honorable Mention 1939, Award of Merit 1949. AIS Board of Directors Award.
See below:
From Carl Salbach catalog 1939: SNOW FLURRY (Rees 1939) - (Purissima x Thais) - Early this season a local iris lover brought us two single blooms that were the most beautiful, most striking we had ever seen. They were perfectly formed, beautifully ruffled, and simply huge (one bloom being 7" x 7", the other nearly as large), and deliciously scented. As we later viewed this variety in the garden, it was 50" tall, with blooms huge, (as large as San Diego) and with the same perfect, ruffled form of Santa Clara (or Thais), but much greater size. The color was pure ice white, with the faintest cast of blue, but with a definite light blue shade to the unopened buds. This magnificent beauty sets a new standard as the boldest iris of all - for it stood out as if alone, although planted in a garden containing such varieties as California Gold, San Diego, Happy Days, Purissima, Easter Morn, and many other fine iris. It is just as much a complete "break" in white iris as the magnificent Purissima when it first bloomed at its California best.There is nothing comparable. It is an iris that is the most distinct, most different of all the whites (if not of. all iris.) Heavy substance, blooms of perfect semi-flaring and very bold form, and heavily, beautifully ruffled. One of the most delightfully scented of all iris. One stalk carried seventeen gigantic, bold blossoms, with 8 to 11 the usual number. The blooms are placed fairly high on the stalk, but this fact adds to its striking boldness in the garden or for show. As to hardiness: Dr. R. E. Kleinsorge reports that two seedlings and one introduction of his that were half Purissima were perfectly hardy in the coldest sections, and a whole series of half Purissima seedlings thrived in George Brehm's Seattle garden with no coddling. Early mid-season, 50 inches. Stock limited, not more than one to a customer. $25.00. |
From Milliken Iris Gardens catalog, 1940: SNOW FLURRY (Rees) Introduced by the Salbach Gardens and probably the most talked of iris in recent years. A rare find in the small garden of an amateur iris grower and if it continues to perform as it did last season, it will be a sensation. An enormous flower of pure ice white, very faintly flushed with blue. The striking feature is the frilling and ruffling of both standards and falls. This gives the effect of delicacy and ethereal charm which would hardly be expected in a giant flower of such heavy substance. A remarkably strong growing iris with heavy, luxuriant foliage. We have not as yet received any reports as to its hardiness in the colder climates. Early to midseason bloom. A cross of Purissima by Thais. 4 feet. $17.50. |
SNOW FLURRY bloomed in two southern gardens. The flowers are beautiful. The falls, in particular, present a new and delightful form for they suggest motion and look as though they just whirled into place with the edges still ruffling. No fault can be found with the flowers, but the thick, awkward stem does not stand erect and the short branches begin too high from the ground. [Lena M. Lothrop, "Poor Season in Southern California", A.I.S. Bulletin 78 (Jul. 1940): 14.] |
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-- BetsyHiggins - 2010-12-20
I | Attachment | Action | Size | Date | Who | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JPEG | SnowFlurry02.JPEG | manage | 18 K | 10 May 2014 - 13:15 | Main.TLaurin | Photo courtesy of Mike Lowe from original HIPS website |
jpg | SnowFlurry12BHI.jpg | manage | 52 K | 04 May 2012 - 13:40 | Main.Betsy881 | Photo by Bluebird Mary Hess-Bluebird Haven Iris Garden |
jpg | SnowFlurryBHI.jpg | manage | 170 K | 22 Nov 2011 - 23:40 | Main.Betsy881 | Photo by Bluebird Haven Iris Garden |
jpg | SnowFlurryRT.jpg | manage | 33 K | 22 Jan 2012 - 20:31 | Main.Betsy881 | Photo by Rick Tasco |
jpg | Snow_Flurry_fl.jpg | manage | 32 K | 20 Feb 2011 - 18:41 | IrisP | |
jpg | snow-flurry-milan.jpg | manage | 80 K | 01 Mar 2015 - 01:19 | Main.mikeu | Photo by Milan Blazik |
jpg | snow-flurry-salb49.jpg | manage | 70 K | 09 Mar 2015 - 01:32 | Main.mikeu | From Carl Salbach's catalog for 1949. |
JPG | snowflurry03.JPG | manage | 69 K | 17 Jun 2014 - 19:18 | Main.TLaurin | Photo by Rosalie Figge |
JPG | snowflurry04.JPG | manage | 85 K | 17 Jun 2014 - 19:20 | Main.TLaurin | Photo by Rosalie Figge |
JPG | snowflurry05.JPG | manage | 64 K | 08 Jul 2014 - 00:25 | Main.TLaurin | Photo by Bee Warburton |
jpg | snowflurry1.jpg | manage | 137 K | 12 Jun 2019 - 21:02 | Main.TLaurin | Photo by Delane Langton-Eagle Ridge Iris Gardens |
jpg | snowflurry2.jpg | manage | 113 K | 27 Jun 2019 - 22:04 | Main.TLaurin | Photo by Delane Langton-Eagle Ridge Iris Gardens |
jpg | snowflurry3.jpg | manage | 107 K | 29 May 2020 - 01:51 | Main.TLaurin | Photo by Delane Langton-Eagle Ridge Iris Gardens |