I know. I don't know how to delete the extras and put a new one on. I'll work on it.

Thank you so much!

Hope this is better.

Another view-

What a lovely iris. Take a look at this link. What do you think?

http://wiki.irises.org/bin/view/TbPthruT/TbThais

I think it's a little too purple. I think it might be the 1932 Sass Iris 'Imperial Blush'.

See attached photo.

Yours has some veining on the hafts that I don't see on 'Imperial Blush'.

Does your iris open up darker and fade?

This is a photo taken before it opens. It really does not open that dark.

I see what you mean about the veining. Would you be willing to sell me a 'Thais' rhizome?

I'd trade you one if I had it. At least you know it has a double socketed terminal bud. So if anybody has 'Thais' and can verify it also has that double socket, it could be a match. I've got a lavender mis-label so I took a picture of the stalk to show its branch pattern and noted it has double socket buds on the top (terminal) and the very bottom. Some day ............................

Isn't it just maddening?! May I see a photo of it?

Another thing that helps to rule out possible ids sometimes is the base of the foliage. Some iris have tinted purple base foliage. Some not.

Here is a photo of Sass Iris 'Pink Opal' also from 1934. What does everyone think?

I know, I know, I think I need to get a better photo of my Iris posted. I think there are some deep in my laptop. I will try to dig one out.

Well, there are veins in the hafts (other pics show it) and the beard is fuller like yours. It's the attractive uneven shading in yours that has me puzzled.

Yes! Exactly! That is what puzzles me.

Let me tell you the interesting thing about my NOID Iris. I found it at the back corner of a deserted restaurant building in a small town here in rural Arkansas. On the other side of the building is a home with a huge rectangular iris bed running from the street to the back of the property. I just knew the iris had to come from that iris bed. Catching the elderly couple outside one day when I had several cut blooms in a container of water I stopped and got out of my car. They came to me. She took a look at the iris and assured me the iris did not come from her garden and she had never seen an Iris like it. I have contacted every Iris society here in Arkansas and no member has ever seen an Iris like this one!

Isn't that strange?

Very strange. It's such a great looking iris one couldn't forget it.

I decided to do a search for 'Imperial Blush'. What should I find >>>>

http://allthingsplants.com/plants/photo/247688/

I think you may be right and it is 'Imperial Blush'. What do you think? That photo was taken at a botanical garden so it's accurately named, and it shows haft veins. I'm wondering if the photo you found without haft veins is something else? Yikes. Enuf to make you crazy.

Aha! That is a picture of Rheingauperle, Goos'24 (the one above without haft veins). So perfect.

I think that photo you found nails it, but I'm no expert. I will send it on to Mike Unser and Phil Edinger. Phis is the one who said last year that my NOID is 'Imperial Blush'

No, the above photo is Sass Iris 'Pink Opal'. 'Rheingauperle' is one of the parents of 'Imperial Blush' along with 'Alhrodite'. I'm sending a photo of 'Rheingauperle'.

Enough to drive you crazy? I've been at this for 4 years!!!!

I'm so glad I found this site. You've been more helpful than anyone.

Want a rhizome this fall?

I'm 99.9% sure yours is Imperial Blush. I'll pass on a rhizome. I am restraining myself. Thank you for the offer.

This is the Rheingauperle photo I meant. Happy irising!

I'm 99.99% sure I have Imperial Blush now. Thank you so much for your help.

Thank you again for your help. I would like to grow the iris in the photo - can you get me close to something like that?

I finally figured out a very believable story for how my mystery iris got in that back corner by the deserted restaurant in Beebe Arkansas.

Do tell your idea about Imperial Blush..

The camera did not recognize the red pigment in this blue-looking noid. Gorgeous misleading color. Below is probably truer to life.
Description: somewhat tailored form with fluted domed standards (vy little ruffling), draped downward falls (vy little ruffling) spaced apart at base, white thin beard that looks yel in throat. Cannot tell from low resolution pic if hafts have veining. From A-Z these are the closest I saw.

Azure Skies - cannot see full beard on 1 pic
Biscay Bay (Schreiner'56) - beard change to yel in throat, only 2 pics found, good possibility
Bleu de Mer (Ernst'88) - too lavender?, form vy close but beard looks wider
Blue Splendor (Carr'72) - 1 pic at Daves Gaden in wind, beard identical shape, camera shooting dark?
Bluebird Blue - has veined hafts
Bon Voyage - 1 pic at earlier bloom stage, impossible to say
Harbor Blue - at HIPS, vy good form match, has veined hafts

Mike has done a great job with the HIPS site. Glad to revisit.

noid "blue" bearded adjusted

I hate it when plant photographers feel that they have to improve on nature. I suspected that he had used a blue lens to enhance its color.

Here is what I think is the mystery of why Iris IB is in that corner. The restaurant had been in business for years and years. The elderly couple had to close it down because of advanced years and infirmities. I strongly suspect one or both of them were Iris growers. I would imagine they bought IB back in its heyday and loved it so much that they moved some rhizomes to that back sunny corner. Everything in front of the iris running along the side under the shade of the overhang was landscaped with boxwood.

I would imagine they are both deceased now and some one has bought a house with a garden full of much loved and gorgeous irises.

I pray they are both surrounded by heavenly irises.

Thank you so much. Mike called you "very knowledgable", and that is a compliment coming from Mike!

Thank you Mike. He and others here were serious about iris and I learned a lot. I think you are probably right about Imperial Blush. I am glad you got a piece of it.

Story about iris photographing too blue ...............................

In early days of digital cameras I was so determined to get accurate color that I tried several methods: different times of day, different ages of blooms, in shade, out of shade, background cardboard, friends' cameras, different angles, you name it. I spent days in the iris fields. Sometimes not glamour shots because of a necessary angle but true color. However, nothing worked with my Violet Harmony. No camera brand captured its color. All too blue. Tweaking with Photoshop. No good. Lightbulb moment. I went out in the dark and aimed. Lo, the flash added enough red to be closer than any other pic, mine and those online. Lousy picture but good color. So a year goes by and I happen upon a new online photo of Violet Harmony. It was perfect!! Never knew who took it or what kind of camera. Let the air out of my balloon.

Funny!