So…I obtained Burgundy Iceberg. Didn’t realize that it primarily passed on white. If I worked with it for a few generations, could some interesting results be achieved?
Since it’s basically the parent-sport as far as its gametes are concerned, I say she’s still got it even after all these years! I’ve NEVER regretted having Iceberg around, and it’s still getting used in programs around the world. Since it thrives across such a wide range of climates with just the littlest encouragement, I can see why.
I too got Burgundy Iceburg before knowing the mutation was strictly “one level”, but if taken in a different direction than previous breeding programs, why wouldn’t this sport prove useful it’s own right?
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I’d assume it’s some “dominant white” gene/s or something at play (kind of like how some species will give white regardless of other parent) and the sports just deactivate those to varying degree’s.
There are a few offspring of Iceberg that aren’t white, so it seems possible, just uncommon.
eg 'Rose Clos Vougeot ®' Rose
More a case if Iceberg has anything besides colour that you like, otherwise you’re just breeding it in to breed it out over several generations
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I guess what I’m truly asking is if Iceberg has other merits to warrant using it. I don’t DISLIKE white, but it’s not what I’m primarily going for. If it provides good form or disease resistance though, I’d be fine working with it.
If you can keep it alive and happy there, I think that you could probably make good use of it. The long list of descendants for Iceberg/‘Korbin’ practically speaks for itself–but you should probably cross it with highly colored roses if you are trying to avoid white or pale-colored offspring in the first generation or two. There are plenty of colorful roses that count Iceberg as an ancestor, especially after the first generation. It might be worth noting that without it, David Austin’s body of work (and everything that has followed it) would look very different; there would have been no Heritage or Graham Thomas.
Stefan
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