Man of War
This plant has several characteristics of a lactiflora: it blooms late in the season and has side buds. Foliage is considered intermediate between its two parents. It has a big boss of yellow stamens with a few petaloids mixed in. It is quite different from other hybrids introduced by Saunders.
The registration lists it as being discarded and also as having green stems so I am not quite sure what to think about my plant!
| Cultivar: | Man of War |
| Year: | 1929 |
| Seedling No: | 2796. Page 127 of Saunders’ Notebook I |
| Parentage: | 5: lactiflora 447 X officinalis (crimson single) |
| Flower: | Color: | very dark pink (purple toned) |
| Form: | registered as semi-double (only 2 rows of petals on my young plant and Saunders’ notes say single) | |
| Blooms: | Week 4 or 5 | |
| Carpels: | 3 | |
| Stigmas: | very dark pink | |
| Disc: | white, edged pink | |
| Stamens: | filaments red just at base, shading to yellow | |
| Plant: | Habit: | upright |
| Foliage color: | dark green leaves, red stems | |
| Foliage form: | narrow leaves | |
| Height: | 33″ (reported, Saunders’ notes); 40″ in 2021 | |
| Recommendation: | Collectors’ plant |
| Availability: | Rare |
