Yet another colour break for Anomatheca, or rather Freesia as it now is.

It has flowers nearly twice as large as F. laxa and the flower colour is actually better than on the photo, as it is nice lilac colour.

I'm naming it Freesia 'East of Eden', and it is a hybrid of Freesia (laxa x grandiflora) x laxa 'Plum Scrumptious' and Freesia laxa x grandiflora 'Naticoke'.

Colour coming from 'Naticoke', an American raised form. 'Plum Scrumptious' originating from the bluish form of laxa but with Freesia laxa x grandiflora 'Naticoke' to give it strength. So the new one is the result of backcrossing the backcross.

I was just thinking, no new hybrids for 2001 but I was wrong, but still very pleased with the one I have, a deep mauve.

The important thing about this new hybrid is that the upper three segments are lighter than those below, I now feel a bi-symmetrical bicolour is now certainly possible, WOW.

Dave Fenwick (Aug 20, 2001)
Plymouth, UK