Very pretty. How big is the bloom?

I didn't measure it, and it's storming outside right now.
AHS database says 7", but I don't think mine is that big.

This was a McFarland intro, and Vera McFarland's home and garden were on the St Johns River in N Florida. Literally on it - that is the house and gardens weren't more than 300 ft from the water. Very low land, and very, very rich. You could look at that dark black soil and just know that anything would grow in it. Where we are in central Florida, the soil is mostly sand, and even with a ton of compost added, I doubt that we'd ever grow this particular cultivar that big.

Vera McFarland was a gracious southern lady, whom I knew reasonably well. What I didn't know until I read her obituary years later was that she did her Master's thesis on the subject of plants in Shakespeare.

The storm has passed for the moment, so I ventured out with a tape measure. The answer is 5.5 inches, not counting the recurved portion of the petals.

There's no doubt in my mind that in the rich muck that was the soil around Vera McFarland's home, 7" would have been easily achieved.

very pretty bloom.

jean

Very nice blooms. Isn't it nice to have a late FFO?
kay

It's a bit strange to have an FFO so late. Blooming began in March here in Fla, and by late April we were nearing peak. I was beginning to wonder if this cultivar was going to perform this year (it was acquired a year ago).

I have two huge and extremely healthy-appearing fans, and only one of them produced a scape (so far).

John

Nice double -- and it is hard to believe you have an FFO this late in the year. Maybe that means your bloom season will be extended.

It probably won't be extended by much, because my partner and I are less than two weeks away from digging everything up and replanting it in new display beds.

I agree, nice bloom and it still has many more buds to go.

Julia