Intermediate Bearded Iris 'Gnu Rayz': Kasperek's 1996 Wild Rays

'Gnu Rayz' is an intermediate bearded iris (IB) cultivar hybridized by Kasperek and registered in 1996. The playful name (gnu + rays) suggests a cultivar with radiating color patterns or a wild, untamed energy—perhaps a broken-color or space-age iris with rays of contrasting color shooting from the center.

Cultivar Details

• Family: Iridaceae (eye-rid-AY-see-ee)
• Genus: Iris (EYE-ris)
• Cultivar: Gnu Rayz
• Hybridizer: Kasperek
• Registration Year: 1996

Kasperek's 1996 IB introduction brings his experimental flair to the median class. 'Gnu Rayz' may feature the "rayed" pattern—veins or color streaks radiating from the beard—or unusual beard appendages that catch the light in rays, a wild innovation in the intermediate ranks.