HYBRIDIZER
MEDAL WINNERS
Paul Black
by Thomas
Johnson
Reprinted from
AIS Bulletin No. 329, April 2003
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Paul
Black was born in the panhandle of
Oklahoma in a small town named Guymon.
With an annual rainfall of less than
12 inches and horrible alkaline clay
soil, this was hardly the place for
someone who loved plants. After finishing
high school, Paul moved to Oklahoma
City to attend college. He graduated
with a degree in psychology and sociology
and part of a master's degree in business. |
It
was Paul's grandmother, Ruth Black, that
Paul credits for his gardening talents.
He would spend time with her in the summer
helping her in her vegetable and flower
garden. It was also in his grandmother's
garden that Paul first became acquainted
with iris. Ruth was a Spartan woman of
modest means, and the iris she grew were
given to her by a woman who to her amazement,
sometimes paid $20 and $25 for a single
rhizome! |
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When
Paul purchased his first home he remembered the
beautiful iris in his grandmother's garden and
wanted to plant some. After going to a local nursery,
he was told about a local iris society and of their
annual rhizome sale. Paul went to that sale and
purchased some plants. The clerk at the sale told
him if he kept the names on them he could enter
them in their show. Next spring, he did just that
and won his first Queen of Show - he was hooked!
It was at a Sooner
State Iris Society meeting that Paul met Cleo Palmer
and Perry Dyer. Sensing Paul's enthusiasm they
began to encourage him to try his hand at making
a few crosses. It was 1979 when Paul made those
first crosses and there was no turning back. It
was also 1979 that Paul went into business with
Perry, who was already producing a commercial catalog
for his Contemporary Gardens. It was a partnership
that lasted two years. Paul decided to quit his
regular job and start his own iris business. The
first Mid-America Garden catalog came out in 1981and
Paul's first introductions were featured in the
1982 edition. One of those first introductions
was a bright yellow IB named HARLOW GOLD. It went
on to become a runner-up for the Sass Medal and
is still popular today. TIGER PRINT (SDB) was introduced
this same year and won Paul's first AM.
Chubby Cheeks
1984 - SDB
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Paul
quickly learned that his favorite class of
iris was the SDBs. Great success came early
when seedling number 824E made its maiden bloom
in 1982. Paul knew it was something special
when it bloomed with its very round and fat
form.
It
would later be named and introduced in
1985 as CHUBBY CHEEKS. It has become one
of the most used parents of all time. It
won Paul his first Cook-Douglas Medal. |
That
was a good year for Paul as the popular
RED ZINGER (IB) and the reblooming BLAZING
SUNRISE (TB) were also introductions that
year.
The
laced blue-white BUBBLING LACE (TB) and the
blue-white reverse UNDERSEA ADVENTURE (TB)
were released in 1986. In 1988 the wildly
colored GLITZ 'N GLITTER (TB) was introduced
and won Paul his first Tall Bearded Award
of Merit.
He
next received an AM for OKLAHOMA CRUDE (TB),
the totally unique TU TU TURQUOISE (SBD),
and the SPOT OF TEA (MDB), which went on
to win Paul his first Caparne-Welch Medal.
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Red Zinger
1985- IB |
Tu Tu Turquoise
1988 - SDB |
Paul
seemed to be on a roll and 1990 saw a wealth
of great things. SIGHS AND WHISPERS (TB) would
win an AM and also take first place in the Premio
Firenze competition in Italy. This year also
saw the release of Paul's first AB introduction,
PRAIRIE THUNDER, which went on to win the William
Mohr Medal in 1998. It was also in 1990 that
two important SDB parents were introduced: the
wonderful fancy plicata PRIVILEGED CHARACTER
and the well-formed plicata TRANSCRIBE.
Prairie Thunder
1990 - AB |
Privileged Character
1990 - SDB |
Transcribe
1990 - SDB |
Pumpin' Iron
1990 - SDB |
But
wait, that's not all!
1990 also saw the introduction of Cook-Douglas
winner PUMPIN' IRON and Caparne-Welch Medal winner
CINNAMON APPLES.
I told you it was a great year! |
Pumpin' Iron
1990 - SDB |
Tweety Bird
1991 - SDB
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The
next two years saw such exciting things
released as INKY DINKY (SDB '91) and
SHE DEVIL (AB '92).
It
was also in 1992 that Paul's next exciting
hybridizing break was cleverly named and
released as TWEETY BIRD (SDB).
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Paul
was so excited when it bloomed that he called
Miss Kitty (Kitty Dyer), whom he fondly refers
to as his iris mom, to come quickly and see it.
Well, she was in such a hurry to get to Paul's
to see what all the fuss was about that she got
a speeding ticket! Paul's excitement over TWEETY
BIRD wasn't misplaced. With its wonderful ruffled
form and tangerine beard, it would come to be
as important a parent as CHUBBY CHEEKS. It would
go on to be a runner up for the Cook-Douglas
Medal two years running.
The
popular white GOLDKIST (TB), with its
gold hafts and wild purple haft veins,
was the highlight of the 1993 introductions.
It was voted
an AM, and also won third place and the award
for most uniquely colored TB in the Premio
Firenze competition of 1995.
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Goldkist
1993 - TB
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In 1993, tragedy,
in the form of iris rot, hit Mid-America Garden
and years of hybridizing work were lost in a matter
of weeks. Many wonderful seedlings slated for introduction
were gone and it would be three years before a
bearded iris listing would return to the catalog.
In 1994, Thomas Johnson
moved from Canada and became a partner in the business.
With their combined efforts, bearded iris returned
to the catalog in 1996. The TBs TOM JOHNSON and
RUTH BLACK were released this year. In 1997, the
laced violet LOIS PARRISH (TB) and APRICOT TOPPING
(BB) were introduced.
The year 1998 once again brought changes,
as the business was moved
to Salem, Oregon.
After
years of struggling with many weather and
disease-related problems, Paul was finally
in
"iris heaven".
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Mid-America Garden in Salem, Oregon
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Exciting introductions
followed. Notable among them are DEEP DARK SECRET
(TB), BLUE CHIP STOCK (MTB), THIS AND THAT (IB)
and SINISTER DESIRE (IB), and HOT JAZZ (SDB) and
YIPPY SKIPPY (SDB). In 1999, standout TBs BIG SQUEEZE,
HABIT, and VIBRANT were put on the market as well
as the MDB WIGGLE.
Blue Chip Stock
1998 - MTB |
This and That
1998 - IB |
Yippy Skippy
1998 - SDB |
Wiggle
1998 - MDB |
Dude Ranch
2000 - TB
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The
start of a new century saw the release
of the dramatic red bearded black DEVIL
MAY CARE (IB) and crisply patterned plicata
INFINITY RING (IB). Other highlights
include ARTFUL (SDB) and CACHET (SDB),
and the daintily ruffled TINGLE (MDB).
Year 2000 also
saw the introduction of KEEPING UP APPEARANCES
(TB) and DUDE RANCH (TB); the latter went
on to win Paul his second Premio Firenze
award.
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Apricot Topping
1997 - BB |
Trajectory
1997 - SDB |
Wild Hair
1998 - SDB |
Puddy Tat
2002 - SDB |
Through
the years, Paul's introductions have been awarded
a total of 93 HMs, 22 AMs, two Cook-Douglas Medals,
two Caparne-Welch Medals, and one William Mohr
Medal. They have also received 30 awards in the
International Iris Competition in Florence, Italy,
including two first place gold medals. There
looks to be no slowing him down. A stroll through
his seedling patch in the spring shows it is
clearly the SDBs that still have his heart.
[Since
the printing of the above article in April, 2003,
Paul’s
iris (including those listed in this article) have
moved forward to receive higher AIS Awards. Some
of Paul’s new introductions have also received
awards that were not listed in the article above,
and these iris names are included in the Award
Winner’s Chart on this web site. Paul may
be justly proud that his iris have done well, not
only in the USA, but have fared extremely well
in International Competition. His iris GRAPE JELLY
won 2nd Place in the Moscow International
Competition in 2003.]
Cat's Eye
2002 - SDB
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Paul's iris CAT’S
EYE won the Walther Cup in 2004.
Congratulations
Paul.
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Paul
has introduced well over 200 iris during his
hybridizing career to this 2004 date. Only a
few are here for your viewing. Some of the iris
are in "thumbprint" form – to
see a larger view, click on the smaller iris picture.
Others are on a list – to see the iris, click
on the iris name.
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