Joe Musacchia hails from about 60 miles south-east of New Orleans between Houma and Thibodaux. He is a Master Gardener, having completed the program with the LSU Ag Dept.
Joe Musacchia hails from about 60 miles south-east of New Orleans between Houma and Thibodaux. He is a Master Gardener, having completed the program with the LSU Ag Dept. His love of Louisiana Iris started when he began looking for a garden plant that could handle the growing conditions where he lived, such as hot summers, wet cold winters, late freezes, and frequent flooding. His first encounter with them was in 1997 at Bois d Arc Gardens in Shriever, La., and he knew he found what he was looking for.
Joe began hybridizing in 1999, after watching the process of Dorman Haymon and Patrick O’Connor. His first registered and introduced iris was “Pure Water”, which was sent to Japan and New York for the Pacific Flora Exposition.
His goal is to produce a Louisiana iris with ruffles that have good bud placement and will open well in our damp climate. His hope is to produce a nice ruffled red specimen.
Joe’s irises have won awards, such as the AIS (American Iris Society) President’s Cup for “Acadian Sky”, SLI, (Society for Louisiana Iris) Award of Merit for “Choctaw Ridge”, Marie Caillet Cup for “Princess Anna Maria”, “Garden Diva”, “Acadian Sky” and “Mama Janice”.
