Schreiner's Awards and Achievements

This award honors the late botanist John C. Wister (1887-1982).

John C. Wister led the organizing meeting that created the American Iris Society and became its first president, a position he held for fourteen years. Learn more about the Wister Medal.

The Wister Medal was awarded to Black Is Black (2017).

The Dykes Memorial Medal is the highest award an Iris can receive. It honors William R. Dykes (1877-1925), an English botanist and author of The Genus Irus. In the U.S., the Dykes Medal is an annual award given by the British Iris Society through the American Iris Society.

We've had the pleasure of receiving this distinguished medal eleven times. The Irises honored were: Blue Sapphire (1958), Amethyst Flame (1963), Stepping Out (1968), Victoria Falls (1984), Titan's Glory (1988), Dusky Challenger (1992), Silverado (1994), Honky Tonk Blues (1995), Hello Darkness (1999), Yaquina Blue (2001) and Celebration Song (2003).

The Florence Council, in collaboration the the Italian Iris Society, have held an International Iris Competition for tall and bearded irises every year since 1954, with a large presence and international success. The rhizomes of each variety are sent to Florence by hybridizers throughout the world during the period June to September and they are cultivated at the Iris Garden of Piazzale Michelangelo for three years before being judged by an International Jury. The Competition is 'anonymous', that is, each plant entered is labelled with initials so that the Jury knows the name of the variety and of the hybridizer only after having finished judging. A classification of merit is established and some special prizes are awarded on the basis of particular characteristics of the individual variety. The winner of the first prize receives a Gold Fiorin, the gift of the Florence Tourist Organization.

2009: Coming Storm, 5th Honorable Mention

2012: All About Blue, Rora and Luciano Bausi Prize for the Best Blue Variety

2012: Rio Rojo, Giorgio Saviane Prize for the Best Early Variety

2014: Drifting, Premio Firenze (First Place)

2017: Spirit Rider, Premio Firenze (First Place) & the Louise Branch Prize for Best Branched Variety; Care to Dance - Chamber of Commerce Price for Best Commercial Variety; I Pink I Can - Laura Tancredi Prize for Best Pink Variety.

For noteworthy achievement in hybridizing, Robert Schreiner was honored with the Perennial Plant Association's Distinguished Service Medal in 1988 and the American Iris Society's Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement.