My Favorite Reds

When I began hybridizing in 1986, I had no goals nor any idea where I was going. More importantly, I had no idea what I was doing. I worked with both diploids and tetraploids of all colors. I eventually settled toward tetraploids mostly in the yellow range. I followed this for several years with my program almost entirely to the yellow range. When we moved to our current location in 1993, I was able to erect a greenhouse to further my hybridizing program. I was still into yellows, Bob Carr's H. 'Wonder of it All' was my all time favorite. I remember one year I had 165 pods set on several pots of WOIA. How ridiculous was that?

I have acquired several reds over the last few years, and the following are four of my favorites, in no particular order. Please remember, I probably select these four because I have used them extensively in my hybridizing.

H. 'Camelot Red' (Salter 2011) In the fall of 2009, Jeff and Elizabeth Salter stopped overnight for a visit and brought a seedling they just called "Red" and "guested" it with me. In the spring of 2010, this seedling bloomed and just blew me away and changed my whole hybridizing program. This red was eventually named H. 'Camelot Red' and this is where it all began. Now my hybridizing program is almost entirely to the red side with a few purples thrown in for a little variety.

 

H. 'Camelot Red' (Salter 2010) Picture courtesy Jeff Salter

 

'H 'Home of the Free' (Grace 2012). I saw this as a seedling in the garden of Bill Waldrop and was completely taken. I called Larry to see if I could purchase a piece and since it was under seedling number, he would not sell it top me but would "guest" me a fan. I believe this was in 2010, I think a couple years before it was registered and introduced. This is a very saturated clear red with a gold edge and heavy, heavy substance. Used extensively in my hybridizing program.

 





H. 'Home of the Free'

(Grace 2012

 

H. 'Barbara Mandrell' (Kirchhoff