Clara B. Rees (1879-1970)
Our Society is named in honor of Clara B. Rees, one of the most impactful American iris hybridizers due to her iris, ‘Snow Flurry’.
Clara spent her adult life in the Willow Glen area of San Jose, California. She was born in a small town in Ohio and was the second of four known children. She spent her early life on a farm where she developed a love of plants and flowers.
In 1924 after her father passed away, Clara, her sister Ruth, and their mother moved to California. The family purchased a house at 1059 Bird Avenue in Willow Glen in 1925. In Ohio Clara grew tulips but the California weather wasn’t cold enough for them. She turned her attention to iris. She also hybridized amaryllis and lilies and other flowers that interested her.
Clara was trying to develop a pink iris. She crossed the iris ‘Thais’ (a pastel orchid diploid) and the iris ‘Purissima’ (a white tetraploid). The resulting pod contained only two seeds, one of which was shriveled. She planted both and ‘Snow Flurry’ was born. The plant bore huge, ruffled blue-white flowers on tall, sturdy well-branched stalks. It was a tremendous improvement over any variety then in commerce.
Clara’s sister, Ruth, took two blossoms and carried them — without their stems — by train, streetcar, ferry boat, and taxi cab to Carl Salbach who lived in Berkeley. Carl was one of the country’s leading iris specialists.
He was so impressed by the blossoms he visited their garden and asked to buy their entire stock of ‘Snow Flurry’ outright. Ruth suggested $200 (which in today’s dollars would be $3,842). Salbach countered with $150 and $50 of iris in trade, which Ruth and Clara accepted. He purchased all but one rhizome with the agreement Clara could keep it provided she did not sell or give the iris away for three years.
‘Snow Flurry’ was a hit as soon as it was introduced in 1939 and was soon in great demand. Gardeners sought its tall form and beautiful, large, ruffled flowers and hybridizers for its breeding potential.
‘Snow Flurry’ was a breakthrough in form, color, and substance for the iris community. It is still considered by many irisarians to be the most important tall bearded iris ever developed. ‘Snow Flurry’ has many progeny.
Clara passed away at the age of 90 on August 23, 1970.
Awards and Honors
1939 Honorable Mention for ‘Snow Flurry’
1949 Award of Merit for ‘Snow Flurry’
1967 Received the Hybridizers Medal of the American Iris Society
1974 the American Iris Board of Directors Award, the first of its kind, was given to ‘Snow Flurry’.
As a tribute to Clara, Region 14 named the trophy for the best white iris each year “The Clara B. Rees Cup.”
