What are your most favorite Plicatas (in the blue or violet range) ? Are you growing any of the newer ones?

I need to thin out some of mine to make room for new ones! Plicatas are my favorite but I have a lot that are too similar. I am thinking of getting rid of Rare Treat and Blue Staccato (lookalikes), Freedom Song and Got the Melody. I like Stepping Out and Take 5 but I have to stake both of them, so I prefer to replace them too. My keepers are American Classic, Art Deco, Oreo, and Orinoco Flow, a BB. Last year I added some maroon ones (Class Ring etc)

Hmmmm. I have from your list: "Art Deco", "Stepping Out", "Orinoco Flow", & "Got The Melody". "Oreo" looks like a keeper, so on my list it goes (oh wait, it is already there!). Here is a list of what I have as I too like Plicatas.

Crinoline
Creative Stitchery (lost)
Going My Way (lost)
Spreckles (lost)
Spatzel
Rare Edition
Rumbleseat
Sidestitch
Deep Currents (lost)
Classic Look
Loop The Loop
Lady Laree
Aunt Mary
Mme Chereau
Carriwitched
Cee Jay
Colortart
Colorwatch
GiGi
Frothingslosh
Heepers
Heather Hawk
Over & Over (RE)
Zee
Starwoman
Spice Lord
Sterling Blush
Sterling Flurry
Sterling Mistress
Sterling Prince
Sterling Stitch
Ted Shiner
Splashacata
Hokey Pokey
Attention Please
Tennison Ridge
Dotted Swiss
Epicenter
Cayenne Capers
Cashmere Rose
Rimaround
Cowboy Girl
Drama Queen
Atomic Flame
Llama Mama
Quiz Show
Progressive Attitude
Heart of Africa
Desert Echo

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Showcase
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Showcase would be my favorite. I am sure I missed a few.

Favorites (in order top to bottom)

Showcase
Colorwatch
Zee
Spatzel
Deep Currents

Showcase



Colorwatch



Zee



Spatzel

Wow I LOVE Deep Currents and may have to track it down. I really like Spatzel too. I've thought about Penguin Party but haven't seen it in person or know anyone who has it.

I like Zee too!

I really like Ink Patterns. My pictures of it aren't the best but there are some good ones on the data base, It won a top AM and a Wister Medal. Foolish Dreamer shows promise also.

Since we like medians I love 'Carriwitched' which is an IB. Another IB is 'Prince of Burgundy'.

Hello Patty. I can add a few names here, however, they may not all be classified as plicatas.
starting with the MDB's
Wiggle
Knick Knack

and going on to the SDB's
Broken Halo
Buster
Cute or What (may be a rim but with the streaks and freckles it looks like plicata)

And to MTB's
Preference
Zula

then IB's
Gnu Rays

and BB's
Parquet Lady

and of course the TB's
Ballerina Girl
Barn Dance
Belvi Queen
Cowboy's Journey
Etched Burgandy
French Gown
Huckleberry Fudge
Paprika Fonos

I know I have probably added names that do not belong but sometimes it is hard to tell where stripes leave off and rims begin. lol Here are a few pictures of NOID plicatas growing in my patch.

Ink Patterns is one I was thinking of getting which is one reason I'm getting rid of some of my older ones, like Blue Staccato. Do you think, in general, newer varieties are better as far as disease resistance, sturdiness etc?

Bonnie I love the ones in the last pic! So do you have a favorite (or two or three)?

Patty, I will have to confess that when I first saw a plicata it was not my favorite iris pattern. Also, it was purple which was so common during my childhood, in neighborhood gardens, I was not impressed. I got one because I had the room and it was lovely. Over time they have grown on me. My favorite iris are the medians and they now have so many tiny guys with little rims and plics and they are beautiful. One little SDB Hee Haw is white with rosy purple plicata and its coloring. along with its form, make it gorgeous. I have put a TB on my list to order this year called Halloween Moon. It has a yellow ground with smokey lavender plicata and dots. I have considered it for two seasons and I know I will love it. I have a TB NOID that opens white with lavender plicata on standards and falls and within a few hours becomes white with pink plicata. It stops everyone who comes to visit my iris. I look forward to its bloom each spring and would not like to be without it. smiles

I wouldn't make a general statement about older versus newer varieties, but Ink Patterns in particular is a great iris. There are hundreds of plicatas with white ground and bluish/purplish stitching, but not many that I've grown were even close to Ink Patterns. It grows very well, blooms heavily, and the flowers have beautiful form and ruffling.

If I had to name one favorite that I consider a plicata I would have to say Buster by Blyth. It is a 14 inch SDB with deep purple coloring around white falls slightly tinted yellow and lighter blue/purple beards. It does not jump out at you across the garden like so many do but it is worth going out to see. Now if you ask me next year what my favorite is it will be something else. My favorite always changes (I should have a BB bloom this year called Honky Tonk Hussy and I can't wait!).........fickle?

Kent ~ thanks for the info, this is exactly what I'm after, in order to narrow the field a bit, space being a factor. Ink Patterns it is, then! Bonnie, I love Buster!!! I am putting on a future list since I ordered a lot of medians last year. Hee Haw is very nice too!

Thanks!

I am with Lucy on Carriwitched. It is in my top 10. Of course, it is a "Sterling Innerst" cultivar!

It is interesting to note that "Ink Patterns" has "American Classic" as a parent.

Have you considered Jo Ghio's "Wedding Night"?

Another interesting note.

I just looked at "Blue Staccato" and saw its "kids".

Rare Treat & Orinoco Flow two of the six registered offspring.

I forgot Ominous Stranger. It is an Innerst Iris I think. Got it on my wish list. Are its falls considered plicatas or rimmed and dotted?

I have a quite a few plicatas, here's a few to look at
Queen In Calico and Tanner

Circle of Light and Clasic Look

Ball of Confusion and Carnival Song

Drama Queen (One of my favorites) and Exactitude (Innerst)

Kid's Clothes (another one I like alot) and Magic Pallet

Broadband and NOID Instructor wannabe!