'Tigris' Seedling Blooming!

And it has a blotch!

I was very pleased with the blotch on this 'Tigris' seedling.  When I first started breeding with 'Tigris' several years ago, it was fairly common to wait 3 or 4 years and have first blooms showing just a hint of a blotch.  This one clearly has it.  I think I like it!

Though the plant is typical of first generation 'Tigris' seedlings, being gangly and thorny, it has lots of blooms and has been flowering for 3 weeks now, with more blooms coming on.  All of the flowers are from second year wood, so I do not expect a rebloom later in the season.

Below, the petals of this 'Tigris' seedling on the right are compared with a couple of my more modern repeat blooming Hulthemias that also have good blotches.

So of course there is a "next step".  I have crossed this seedling back to 'Tigris'.  I have always wondered if other recessive Hulthemia persica traits (single leaves, no stipules) could be recovered by doing this.  More patience required.....  Stay tuned!