Theriault Introductions

I attempted to cross a few varieties of Iris in my time in Michigan, but the ugly winters, short growing season, and Iris borers made it an uncommon challenge to get anything to live long enough to reach blooming size. Here in the Salem area, though, it’s been a very different story. Early crosses involved such varieties as Dangerous Mood (one of my all-time faves), Brazilian Holiday, and Broad Shoulders. Lovely varieties, albeit somewhat dated in form. This was before I met the likes of Keith Keppel, Thomas Johnson, Lynda Miller, and a number of other accomplished folks I was exposed to after becoming a member of the American Iris Society. I’ve gotten my hands on a great many more modern varieties, and what I’ve been able to introduce is evolving, as well…slow but sure.

Rather than just list the specs like what’s stated on the Shop page, descriptions here will have a more narrative vibe (I hope).

The five 2023 introductions are:

  • Brewberry Splash: a cross in 2011 of Supreme Sultan and Brazilian Holiday. This one was a surprise splash of highly saturated color in a group of ho-hum colors. Golden ale-colored standards rest above falls carrying fuchsia, rust, magenta, and blue tones…basically a brew over fruit punch look.

  • Berry Band It: the sole dwarf introduction of the 2023 class. It’s the result of a 2017 cross of City Neon and Blueberry Tart. Lavender-blue standards sit above grey-blue falls with a gold-plum “thumbprint” around the beards. A band of baby blue surrounds the thumbprint, outside of which appears a smoky zone at the very tip of the fall.

  • Devil’s Eyes: an F2 cross of two seedlings in 2017. Antique red-orange standards appear above falls of a mix of terra cotta and burgundy with a marginal band and central vertical stripe of the same color as the standards. Anyone familiar with Tolkien lore as interpreted by Peter Jackson might catch a resemblance to the “all-seeing eye” of Mordor.

  • Knight’s Favor: a 2017 cross of Slovak Prince and Final Episode produced this one. Muted gold-yellow standards appear with periwinkle falls edged with a tan marginal band that blends into the ground color. Spathes appear a much paler green than those of most other TBs.

  • Smoking Rose: a 2011 cross of Rodeo Girl and Sharpshooter. The only non-plicata seedling in the lot, buff-colored standards with a violet infusion at the midribs rest above smoky rose falls with deeper colored hafts and a dusky rose marginal band…and bright orange beards.

Nine new registrations were introduced for 2026…perhaps to make up for three years of silence? Not really, but that was how things turned out. They are:

  • Exchanging Pleasantries: 2018 cross of Paul Black (the Iris, not the man!) and Bravery. Icy blue standards mix with lavender grounded falls with white at the hafts and a dry-brushed overlay of purple. Orange tipped beards warm the temperature slightly.

  • Hearts in Shadow: 2018 SDB cross of Exotic Eyes and Berry Band It. Plum-burgundy standards blend with falls having the same ground color, plus central zones of near-black surrounding beards of blue-lavender…kind of like the heart of the flower is hiding in the shadows.

  • In Grape Shape: sibling of Exchanging Pleasantries. Cold blue-lavender standards darken toward the midrib; falls are the same cold blue-lavender at the margins, then darken to near-black toward the center. A starburst pattern appears at the hafts, as red mixes into the purple lines. Red-orange beards add contrast, though little warmth.

  • Itty Bitty Ditty: 2019 cross of Be Brief and Blueberry Tart. The product is an MDB having standards that are blue-lavender inside and yellow to olive outside. They nestle above smoky baby blue falls with a canary thumbprint around the beards, and a linear blue wash down the center that incorporates the distal ends of the beards. A surprise the first time it bloomed, it’s a instant favorite.

  • Lil Chiller: the second MDB introduction, borne of a 2019 cross of Reboot and Alaia, which if anything, most resembles Reboot. Standards are icy lavender-white with a slight concentration at the midribs, while falls are a chilly mix of lavenders, blues, and white. Diminutive in height, which was surprising, given its taller parents.

  • Nimble Noble: an F2 TB cross. A seedling from a cross of Brazilian Holiday and Dangerous Mood was then crossed with Rum Is the Reason to give us this long-season, high bud count seedling that takes a page out of Brazilian Holiday’s book. Icy blue standards with a cream-taupe central zone sit above falls of royal purple-black, which lighten slightly at the margins to a deep rose purple. Bright yellow beards give contrast.

  • Pinkerton’s Rose: sibling of Brewberry Splash, though that wasn’t known the first time it bloomed in another seedling’s pot. It disappeared for a couple years, then turned up again in 2016. Its parentage is pretty easy to decipher, given its resemblance to its sibling. Standards are a muted rose with yellow-gold tones that become more prominent in warmer weather, while falls are a dusty rose with the same fuchsia and blue central area below the beards that Brewberry Splash has. Beards are blue based with orange tips.

  • Rubies In Roses: crossing Exotic Eyes with Replicator in 2019 gave us a multitude of seedlings with clear ground colors and contrasting thumbprints. This one is a lighter take on Exotic Eyes’ look, with the ground color being more of a rose than red, and the beards being so light blue as to appear white. It’s like rubies were surrounded by roses.

  • Wings In Brass: this is the “youngest” of our intros, being the result of a 2020 cross of Despacito and Look Inside. Icy lemon standards are infused with blue-lavender, a look picked up and intensified by the style arms. Falls are a brassy gold with green accents at the distal end of the beard, almost giving a patina to the brass, and the flare and orientation make them look like little wings.

Availability for 2026 will be limited, with Knight’s Favor being the most plentiful of the lot as 2026 gets rolling. I am excited to finally be able to offer some varieties that I was responsible for bringing into the world, so to speak.

These 14 varieties can be found on the Shop page with their descriptions. Availability of each will update as numbers change.

Thanks for reading!