Data specific to Irises (Edit)
Hybridizer: Keith Keppel
Year Of Registration: 2006
Year Of Introduction (May Differ From Registry): 2007
Seedling Number: 00-261A
Classification: Tall Bearded (TB)
Registered Height: 38 inches (97 cm)
Bloom Season: Mid
Flower Form: Bubble Ruffled
Bloom Color Classification: Blue
Flower Patterns: Bitone
Bloom Color Description: Medium blue standards; slightly deeper medium blue falls
Beard Color: Light blue, sunflower in throat
Style Arm Color: Lighter blue
Awards: Honorable Mention: 2009
Award of Merit: 2011

General Plant Information (Edit)
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 9b
Flowers: Showy
Underground structures: Rhizome
Propagation: Seeds: Will not come true from seed
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Ploidy: Tetraploid
Parentage: Yaquina Blue X 96-16A: (Sea Power x Rippling River)
Child plants: 4 child plants

Image
Common names
  • Tall Bearded Iris
  • Iris

Photo Gallery
Location: My garden, Watkins Glen, NY
Date: May 2022
Dark morning before the storm
Location: My garden, Zaporizhzhya region Zone: 6a 
Date: 2023-05-22
Location: Back yard
Date: 2017-05-26
Location: Home garden
Date: 2017-04-24
Location: Russia, Krasnodarskij Kraj
Date: 2018-05-16
Location: My garden, Ukraine, Zaporizhzhya region Zone: 6a 
Date: 2023-05-20
Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2015-04-20
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2011-05-18
Location: Iowa
Date: 2013-06-01
Location: Iowa
Date: 2012-05-03
Location: Cawston, BC
Date: 2022-10-29
From Hillside Irises
Location: My garden, Ukraine, Zaporizhzhya region Zone: 6a 
Date: 2023-05-23
Location: Los Altos, CA
Date: 2017-04-20
Merchant Marine Clump
Location: Back yard
Date: 2017-05-26
Location: Western Kentucky
Date: April 2012
Stunning blossom with heavy, ruffled petals.
Location: Home garden
Date: 2016-04-13
Location: Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Date: 2021-05-04
Merchant Marine (Keppel
Location: Michigan-my garden
Date: June 1, 2017
Amazing blue color!
Photo by Newyorkrita
Location: Back yard
Date: 2017-05-26
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Date: 2020-05-17
TB Iris Merchant Marine
Photo by Newyorkrita
Location: Philo, California
Date: 2016-04-15

Date: 2014-04-26
  • Uploaded by jon
Location: Home
Date: 2016-06-01
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-05-24
Photo by Betja

Date: May 20, 2011 4:48 PM
Photo by Newyorkrita
Location: red bed
Date: 20230527
shady
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2014-04-13
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2011-05-18
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2012-04-29
Location: Home
Date: 2016-06-08
Location: Bed C
Date: 2022-05-24
overcast
Location: Bed C
Date: 2022-05-24
shorter stems than normal, overcast
Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2015-04-19
Photo by Newyorkrita
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2012-04-28
Location: my front yard
Date: 2014-05-29
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-05-19
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2014-04-13
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2011-05-18
Location: Michigan-my garden
Date: June 2016
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2013-05-25
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2013-05-21
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-05-31
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2010-05-17
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2010-05-19
Location: Mid-America Gardens, Salem, Oregon
Date: 2016-05-05
Location: Mid-America Gardens, Salem, Oregon
Date: 2016-05-05
Merry Amigo in the background
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2012-04-24
Location: my front yard
Date: 2012-05-12
Location: my front yard
Date: 2012-05-12

Date: 2014-04-14
  • Uploaded by jon

Date: 2014-04-26
  • Uploaded by jon
Location: red bed
Date: 20230527
shady
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-05-19
Location: Home
Date: 2016-06-02

Date: 2011-05-20
Photo by Betja
Photo by Betja
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-05-17

Date: May 25, 2011 1:31 PM
Location: My garden in Bakersfield, CA
Date: 2012-05-01
Location: Mackinaw, IL
Date: 2011-10-15
Iris 'Merchant Marine' rhizome.  Shown with watch for scale.
Photo by Betja
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by Newyorkrita (North Shore, Long Island, NY ) on Sep 28, 2013 4:29 PM concerning plant:
    Merchant Marine is simply a stunning iris. Gosh, I love those blooms. Merchant Marine has such very ruffled, full flowers. A good grower with lots of bloom each season. I think it is my favorite iris.
  • Posted by KentPfeiffer (Southeast Nebraska - Zone 5b) on Mar 23, 2012 10:25 AM concerning plant:
    Vigorous grower, heavy bloomer.
Plant Events from our members
Calif_Sue On May 11, 2016 Bloomed
shizen On August 25, 2018 Obtained plant
gift from andrea; potted; moved to front
LynNY On June 1, 2023 Bloomed
» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
So beautiful! by csandt Aug 6, 2017 9:02 PM 1

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