Blackcurrant (Smith, 1998) IB HM

Blackcurrant is an intermediate bearded iris introduced by Marky Smith in 1998, growing about 25 inches tall and blooming in the early midseason garden. The standards are a rich plum purple blending to a fine primrose yellow wire edge, while the style arms are clear yellow with violet brushed along the midrib and style crests. The falls are slightly redder than the standards with a delicate primrose yellow wire rim and veining, shifting to blue violet toward the center with a pure yellow area surrounding the beard. The beard itself shows layered color with orange in the throat, yellow in the midsection, and cream at the tip. The blooms are lightly ruffled and carry a slight sweet fragrance. Blackcurrant was bred from a cross of Fancy Woman and Genstar and received the Honorable Mention in 2001.