Some people breed orchids while others breed roses. Then there’s Joe Ghio, a Santa Cruz native who served as mayor in 1975, 1977 and 1980. He breeds irises, and he’s considered one of the top hybridizers in the world. In 1980, he received the American Iris Society Dykes Memorial Medal, a rare honor for iris breeders, with only one awarded per year. Thirty years later, 71-year-old Ghio is hoping to break all precedents by winning the medal a second time.
Some people breed orchids while others breed roses. Then there’s Joe Ghio, a Santa Cruz native who served as mayor in 1975, 1977 and 1980. He breeds irises, and he’s considered one of the top hybridizers in the world. In 1980, he received the American Iris Society Dykes Memorial Medal, a rare honor for iris breeders, with only one awarded per year. Thirty years later, 71-year-old Ghio is hoping to break all precedents by winning the medal a second time.
While irises don’t often get the same attention as some other flowers, there is a community of hardcore aficionados who look to Ghio as their mentor. Last week he held his fourth annual One-Hour Iris Sale, in which he sells off all of his surplus plants. “One-hour” is hardly the right way to describe it. He sold out in 10 minutes.
Ghio, who’s been fascinated by irises since he was a teenager, also managed over the eyars to earn a degree in business education, teach high school and serve on city council and as mayor. Retired now at 71, he can dedicate himself to his true passion, which he raises in his Westside home and on his 7-acre ranch in Corralitos. With more time on his hands now, chances are good he’ll take home the coveted second medal. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
