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