Cypella coelestis - New Crop Summary & Recommendations

By Ian Kirkegaard

2012

Series: New Floricultural Crops: Formulation of Production Schedules for Wild, Non- domesticated Species

Part of the requirements for Horticultural Science 5051: Plant Production II University of Minnesota Ian Kirkegaard New Crops Report HORT 5051 Cypella coelestis New Crop Report

Taxonomy:

Cypella coelestis is an herbaceous perennial in USDA zones 8b-10b (15-35 degrees F). It is from the Iridaceae family and has been known as Phallocalis coelestis, as well as Cypella plumbea. In Australia it is known as Herbertia platensis or commonly as the Blue Tiger Iris. The common name of Cypella coelestis in North America is the

Goblet Flower.

Geographic Distribution:

Cypella coelestis is native to South America, more specifically Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. It has been introduced to North America and is currently represented on all coasts of the U.S. Groups of these flowers have successfully been grown in

California, Florida, North and South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington. There is some potential for Cypella coelestis to become invasive as this plant spreads though rhizomes. No problems have been reported thus far.

Native Habitat:

Cypella coelestis is generally found clumping on open woodland and open grassland margins. It has average water needs. Water regularly, be sure not to over water.

Taxonomic Description:

Cypella coelestis is an herbaceous monocot with an erect habit. When it reaches maturity it usually reaches between 2 and 3’ tall, with flower stalks reaching about

3 ½’ tall. The leaves are spear like and overlap, giving an appearance similar to that of a fan. One should be careful when trimming back floral stalks. Once all of the blooms have ceased, it is common that a floral stalk will set more blooms if given a couple of weeks. Cypella coelestis flowers in clumps topped with blue, goblet-shaped flowers on a sturdy but airy 3’ stem. Each flower has six petals: three large blue-lavender ones, and three tricolor ones of white, yellow, and blue. Although each flower only lasts one day, the succession of flowers will provide color for several months. Flowers bloom in mid- summer. It uses bulbs as underground storage structures and can be used for propagation too. Bulb scales are richly colored burnt-orange and are much more delicate that they appear.

Name and Description of Varieties/ Cultivars on the Market:

There is much confusion about the taxonomic name of this plant. In Australia, it’s known as Herbertia platensis and is sold as the ‘Blue Tiger Iris’. This plant is identical to the plant we, in the U.S., call Cypella coelestis. There is only one known cultivar of this species and it is referred to as the ‘Goblet Flower’.

Propagation Methods:

I was unable to locate any mention of vegetative propagation of Cypella coelestis. This project was focused on seed propagation.

I started with sixty seeds of Cypella coelestis. Their origin was unknown. Since there were small amounts of information concerning the germination of Cypella coelestis, I decided to split my seeds into two treatments. The treatments were designed to test the most basic of germination requirements. Did the seed require light to germinate? To test this I placed the sixty seeds into a 128-plug tray with standard germination mix as the media. I then covered thirty of the seeds liberally with vermiculite to simulate an attempt to germinate below the surface of the soil. The other thirty seeds were placed on top of the soil in direct light. The two treatments were placed into the mist house at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit until germination.

The recommendations were to propagate this plant by bulb. Any information about the germination of Cypella coelestis said that germination from seed would take anywhere from 2-9 weeks.

I had 0% germination for the first three weeks. In week four, three seedlings from the light treated group germinated. I did not see germination from the light-free treatment for five weeks. Within seven weeks, 85% germination was achieved. No more seedlings germinated after seven weeks. All but one seedling from the light treated group germinated. The other eight seeds were apart of the light-free treatment.

Once germination reached its maximum, I transplanted the seedlings into four groups. Two identical groups were formed from each treatment, making 4 total test groups. Two groups were grown in standard LC-8 growing mix. The other two were grown in a mixture of LC-8 media and sand with a 1:1 ratio. This was designed to test optimum growth requirements for C. coelestis following germination. Unfortunately, after seven weeks of germination, there was very little time to see indicative results of the second experiment. I did notice that the plants in the media mixture (1:1, Sand: LC-8) did not grow as large as the seedlings in straight LC-8. I believe this was due to the lack of water holding capacity within the sand.

From weeks eight and on, there were little changes to speak of. No flowers were produced, and none of the plants reached a height of over 6” by the conclusion of the experiment.

In summation, Cypella coelestis will germinate in 14-49 days in warm (70 F) conditions.

Production Specification:

The best form of Cypella coelestis for marketing purposes is an erect plant roughly 2’ tall with multiple flowers per stalk. An ideal variety would germinate in under thirty-five days.

Market Niche:

The current market for this plant is as a rare and unusual plant. I don’t find this plant unusual, but it is somewhat rare. Since it flowers throughout the summer, I think it would be a great plant to be sold in potted form as it could help the blooming time last longer. Iris’ are already sold commonly to plant consumers, so they’re familiar with its shape. This not-so-commonly-known species of this common plant family could be a good winner since it would be something fairly new to most consumers.

I don’t believe Cypella coelestis has potential as a cut flower. All of the flowers bloom in succession of one another. After the top bloom dies, a new one persists from below the last one filling its spot at the stop of the stem. Since the one flower is only open for one day, I think cutting the stalk from with each new flower grows would be a bad idea. This flower must be enjoyed when it is growing. Production Schedule (From Seed):

Seeds should be sown in week one. Since a concrete germination time is not known, this plant will need all the time it can get if you want to be able to sell them by mother’s day. The seeds should germinate within four weeks with good luck and will remain in the plug stage for another two weeks until the first true leaf is seen. After that, plants can be transplanted into 4½” round, geranium pots in LC-8 media. Blooms should be seen by July.

No information exists on forcing Cypella coelestis. The recommendations are to grow this plant from bulb as the seeds take a notoriously long time to germinate.

Needs Assessment for Genetic Improvement:

A definitive area for improvement is the germination time. This plant would not have much success germinating at this rate in any market. I think work can also be done crossing this species with other species of Iris to produce new cultivars with new colors and patters.

Works Cited

Pittman, J. (2010). Cypella coelestis. Retrieved May 1, 2012 from http://www.plantdelights.com/Cypella-coelestis-Goblet-Flower/productinfo/3735/

Hayes, A. (2009). Cyupella coelestis. Retrieved April 29, 2012 from http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=303

D.G. (2010). Phalocallis coelestis. Retrieved April 30, 2012 from http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53995/#b

Rogers (2010). Cypella coelestis. Retrieved May 1, 2012 from http://www.sequimrareplants.com/Cypella%20coelestis.html

(n.d.) Retrieved May 1, 2012 from http://www.joycreek.com/Cypella-coelestis-763-001.htm

Sheilds, J. E. (2010, Jan. 08). The Iris Family: Genus Cypella. Retrieved from http://www.shieldsgardens.com/amaryllids/cypella.html