Merchant Marine (Keppel, 2006) TB HM AM

Merchant Marine (Keith Keppel, 2006), Seedling 00-261A, is a tall bearded iris reaching about 38 inches and blooming midseason in clear, saturated blue tones. Standards open medium blue, with slightly lighter blue style arms, while the falls deepen just a shade for a smooth, monochromatic effect. Light blue beards glow with a sunflower yellow throat, adding a bright focal point against the cool blue petals. Ruffled form enhances the color richness and gives the bloom strong garden presence. Bred from Yaquina Blue × 96-16A (‘Sea Power’ × ‘Rippling River’) and introduced in 2007, it earned Honorable Mention in 2009 and Award of Merit in 2011.