Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Iris => Topic started by: Hristo on January 15, 2010, 01:33:59 PM
-
An unexpected early showing of a reticulate iris. This is one that was disturbed by voles several years ago ( blackbirds also chucked labels around that year too! ) didn't flower last year and is making an appearance this year. Compared it to the montage from last year, not on there as one would expect. I wondered if it might be 'Lake Sewan' which came to BG with me, Open to any suggestions!
P.s.. colour in the second image taken with Fuji camera is closer to actual colour
-
Hello Hristo,
your Iris looks like a Iris histrioides var.sophenensis.
-
Hello Hristo,
your Iris looks like a Iris histrioides var.sophenensis.
I think the same.
Janis
-
Udo, Janis, thanks for that ID, it crossed my mind but I have actually/officially never purchased histrioides var. sophensis.
I guess this was purchased under another name, I suspect 'Lake Sewan'.
-
Hristo ,
I too have grown your Iris as I histrioides v. sophenensis for almost 40 years ,
Otto.
-
Thanks Otto,
I shall rest easy with the burden of experience pointing towards histrioides var. sophensis, I guess I've just got to buy 'Lake Sewan' now! :D
-
Thanks Otto,
I shall rest easy with the burden of experience pointing towards histrioides var. sophensis, I guess I've just got to buy 'Lake Sewan' now! :D
Now if you can hold of a diploid (fertile) form of Iris danfordiae you can re-create some of McMurtrie's hybrids! ;D
cheers
fermi
-
Fermi, we bought the fertile form from Janis last year so hopes are high!!! I shall report back in, a couple of decades?? :D
-
After a few days of stormy weather in the area new flowers of Iris histrio have started to open yesterday afternoon.
This beauty grows in mountains above 900m in North Israel, Lebanon and all the way to Turkey.
-
Oron , your I. histrio is a lovely pale blue - the one I grow in my garden is darker and it originally came from Lebanon . I find it is one of the easiest of the Reticulatas to grow in the garden .
Otto.
-
Beautifully marked histrio, is there much variation in colour / markings within this population Oron?
-
Can anyone help with an ID? I bought this as small bulbs of I. pamphylica a few years ago. Now it's finally flowered I am rather disappointed to find out that it's somethng else - but what?
Any help appreciated!
Cheers,
Alex
-
:( Probably one of the cheap reticulata clones - not Purple Gem which lacks the yellow on the fall. Pauline/Violet Beauty perhaps?
-
Can anyone help with an ID? I bought this as small bulbs of I. pamphylica a few years ago. Now it's finally flowered I am rather disappointed to find out that it's somethng else - but what?
It looks like "J S Dijt" to me
There's a super composite picture made by Chris (Hristo) of many of the reticulata types, look at message #318 on this page
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2862.318 (http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2862.315)
link edited to bring up message #318 (thanks Tony)
-
Can anyone help with an ID? I bought this as small bulbs of I. pamphylica a few years ago. Now it's finally flowered I am rather disappointed to find out that it's somethng else - but what?
It looks like "J S Dijt" to me
There's a super composite picture made by Chris (Hristo) of many of the reticulata types, look at message #318 on this page
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2862.315 (http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2862.315)
Thats a very useful pic although Pauline looks different elsewhere on the web. I have grown something under the JS digt name which had much less rounded falls.
Reply 154 in the same thread appears to show an identical plant to yours Alex. Fred has it as I reticlata form from Kopet Dag. That at least would give it a better pedigree ;)
PS Diane - the link came up with the wrong page but the right thread - I display them 'newest first perhaps you have them the other way round?
-
Thank you very much - I guess confidently assigning it without any info about origin could be tricky. Either way, probably out on its ear in the garden next year!
Cheers,
Alex
-
Oron , your I. histrio is a lovely pale blue - the one I grow in my garden is darker and it originally came from Lebanon . I find it is one of the easiest of the Reticulatas to grow in the garden .
Otto.
Beautifully marked histrio, is there much variation in colour / markings within this population Oron?
Otto, Hristo
this species is quite variable in color forms, there are some pale, almost white forms, others are different shades of Blue, however the markings on the outer petals are very similar.
-
Cheers Oron,
Would love to see some more pics to show the colour range ( if you have them )
Many thanks
Chris
-
A couple of shots of my reticulate iris from the Kopet Dag
-
Can anyone help with an ID? I bought this as small bulbs of I. pamphylica a few years ago. Now it's finally flowered I am rather disappointed to find out that it's somethng else - but what?
Any help appreciated!
Cheers,
Alex
I haven't cultivars more, but this one resembles something caucasian reticulatas (by color).
Janis
-
Very nice Arthur, and well in advance of any of mine.
-
Very pretty one Art !! :D
Did you grow it from seed ??
-
Luc
Bought from Leonid Bondarenko
-
Iris histrio
aintabendis aintabensis so nice at this period
-
Very nice Dominique !!
-
A couple of shots of my reticulate iris from the Kopet Dag
Looks very similar to that named by Russian botanists in 1998 as Iridodictyum kopetdaghense Kurbanov, only leave overtop flower. Although I have sample from the same locality with leaves overtopping flower, too. As this is one of features separating it from reticulata, I'm very doubtfull about its status.
Iridodictyum - reticulata irises are separated by many Russian botanists in own genus Iridodyctium (separated by Rodionenko). Surprisingly, but in last Conspectus Florae Caucasi edited by Takhtajan, 2002 again reticulatas are listed as Iris. Same with Juno. It was surprise for me as up to last Russian botanists consequently followed Rodionenko.
Janis
-
Iris histrio aintabendis so nice at this period
Iris histrio aintabensis
Janis
-
thank for the correct name, Janis
-
A bit earlier than last year Iris pamphylica started to flower - first of my second generation seedlings started to flower - my older plants - planted about 8 years ago as small seedlings in their actual place increase very slowly but constant. The length of the leaves is actally about 85cm - and they still should grow a bit.
-
Hans, a stunning species, beautiful photographs. Do I spot some Onco leaves at the top beyond the rocks?
I envy your advanced season, it is -14 C here today (predicted high temperature), sunny but with frigid strong winds, still have a 45 cm layer of icy snow on the ground... no Iris here for at least 2 more months or more.
-
A bit earlier than last year Iris pamphylica started to flower - first of my second generation seedlings started to flower - my older plants - planted about 8 years ago as small seedlings in their actual place increase very slowly but constant. The length of the leaves is actally about 85cm - and they still should grow a bit.
Phantastic pictures. Knowing where you are living I'm not surprised for so good results with I. pamphylica.
Janis
-
Hans,
wow :o It is a real beauty.
-
Very nice Hans, I have a spare kidney............ ;)
-
Lovely Hans, I think I could stretch to a spare kidney too ;D
-
Lovely Hans, I think I could stretch to a spare kidney too ;D
Careful, David, if you only "think" you could .... it may be that you flogged one already and can't remember..... :-\
Enjoying seeing your plants in the sunshine, Hans..... snowing again here.... :P
-
No Maggi, it was the "stretching" bit I was worried about given the present condition of my back :( I would have remembered the operation ;D
-
So beautifull hans !!!
This species is stunning and your plants are really strong !!!
Here is some seedling... still some weeks to wait before to get a flower ;D
-
No spare kidneys going at our place, Hans ;D - do you need anything else? ???
Those blooms are lovely. :)
cheers
fermi
-
Hans what an amazingly marked iris. :o
-
Stunning flower Hans !! 8)
Opened for me today :
Iris histrioides major
(a bit darker in reality than on the picture)
-
Great Iris histrioides major, Luc!
Thanks for all the kind comments and offers of kidneys... ::) ;)
Mark, very well spotted, you are certainly right about the Oncos.
Janis you are right, this species is less complicate here than some Oncos or Junos which can dwindel away in a very short period of time - unfortunately this species increase very slowly vegetatively - two of my plants did not produce any offset in all the years they are growing here - and it is loved very much by cutworms.
Fred I see you are on a good way to build up a french population of this species. ;)
Yesterday some more flowers were open :)
-
Glorious sight Hans !
One for the AGS on-line show next season ! ;D
-
simply amazing group !
-
;D - thanks!
-
Hans
I can just echo Luc and Fred,
personally i faint each time i see this group ;)
-
Thanks Oron- I thought with all the gems you grow you should be inured to these type of pictures 8) ;)
-
Very beautiful species and easily germinated ;) :D
-
Hans , what a superb patch of I. pamphylica in flower - but I must not faint like Oron does ,I might not wake up again .Lucky you - you are blessed with almost perfect climate and growing conditions to succeed in growing and flowering some of the most difficult plants that we are interested in .
I first saw I . pamphylica in bloom in 1969 .I imported a few bulbs of I . persica from Holland that were collected in Turkey - but ofcourse a look at the bulbs told me that they were not Juno Irises but belonged to the Reticulatas .and in flower I recognized them to be a new species that I had not grown before . - but they are no longer alive .
Otto.
-
Hans do you think I. pamphylica benefits by the shade to it roots by the groundcover in your pix. By the way what is it??
Pat
-
Thanks Otto,
I did not know it was so early introduced in cultivation.
Knowing it is a tricky species so I am very glad it is doing fine here and do my best to keep and propagate it.
Pat - In my experience this species prefers (here) a little protection from to much sun/hot conditions and grows best in the shadow of larger stones or gras (Stipa gigantea) - the few plants which have more sun also flower regulary but have not increased - a bit strange as I did not notice they go dormant earlier.
The plant next to the Iris is one of the 40 endemic Limonium species growing on the Balearic Islands
-
Ian
In the latest Bulb Log you showed your reticulate Iris seed germinating. They did not germinate last year - we discussed - and I am happy to say that virtually every pot has some germination. Now we must be patient for the next 4? years. :)
-
Arthur, Iris pamphylica first flowered here 4-5 years after sowing, of Iris vartanii I expect flowers next year (four years after sowing) - hope the other species are a bit faster.
-
Hans do you think I. pamphylica benefits by the shade to it roots by the groundcover in your pix. By the way what is it??
Pat
In wild I saw it only inside shrubs, not on open places but may be it is due a lot of sheeps in those places, although I. stenophylla allisonii growing in same place was only on open spots between shrubs.
Janis
-
My first Iris reticulata from the garden this year about a week later than last year. Iris reticulata 'J S Dijt'
-
Some of mine are barely showing a tip at the moment David - more patience needed !
Looks like J.S. Dijt has done quite well for you, I see more buds emerging :D - I remember you were not happy about your retics last spring.
-
Ditto ( ish ), still under the snow here! :'(
-
Beautiful plant, David!
Janis, do you have any picture of I. pamphylica in its habitat?
-
Some of mine are barely showing a tip at the moment David - more patience needed !
Looks like J.S. Dijt has done quite well for you, I see more buds emerging :D - I remember you were not happy about your retics last spring.
No Luc, I wasn't really happy with any of the garden Iris retics last year apart from perhaps "Katharine Hodgkin". Flowering was a bit sparse and I blamed the wet summer in 2008 but in 2009 they had it every bit as wet, and I never did get round to making some covers for my bulb beds. We'll see how they do this year which will be their third growing year and time perhaps to dig them up when they go dormant and replenish the soil. Any I do dig I shall probably put in pots and start with some fresh stock for the garden. Rob Potterton has a very good selection in his List and they are not expensive.
Thank you Hans.
-
Thanks Hans and Janis letting us know about the associated plants and growing conditions. That is a reason why I really like to see natural growing conditions and knowing which other plants grow nearby.
David what lovely photos. A group that I need to think more about growing.
-
My first reticulate is Iris kopetdgagensis. I don't think it's a valid name ( what do you think janis ? ) but a very dark form .
-
Fred, Iris kopetdagensis is a Juno (Section Scopiris) and is a greenish yellow?? I'm sure Janis will be able to tell you more but it does look like an Iris reticulata form to me.
-
You're right david, I mean Iris kopetdagense , from Leonid Bondarenko, which should be a form or I. reticulata.
-
My first reticulate is Iris kopetdgagensis. I don't think it's a valid name ( what do you think janis ? ) but a very dark form .
See my reply #25 in this topic.
Janis
-
Thank's Janis,
my friend Alzheimer and me forgot this reply ;)
my plant is very similar to yours, but with leaves overtopping flowers as you can see.
-
Fred, Iris kopetdagensis is a Juno (Section Skorpiris) and is a greenish yellow?? I'm sure Janis will be able to tell you more but it does look like an Iris reticulata form to me.
May be my entry #25 was not so clear.
Most of botanists regard genus Iris in very wide sense - including in it all types of bulbous irises. Russian botanists up to very last time separate from this complex as different genus juno irises - as Genus Juno, reticulata irises - as Genus Iridodyctium, and Spanish, English and Dutch irises - as Genus Xiphium.
There is Iris kopetdaghense in juno group named by Russian botanists as Juno kopetdaghense.
Another iris from reticulata group was named by Russian botanist Kurbanov as Iridodyctium kopetdaghense, so in wide sense it could be named Iris kopetdaghense. Such name isn't valid as it was earlier used for another Iris from Juno group. Really it was quite stupid to use this epithet for reticulata iris because I think that Kurbanov well know about same named juno iris. May be he wanted in such way to accent that Iridodyctiums are not irises, following in that his teacher G. Rodionenko.
But may be it isn't so important as this reticulata iris really most likely is only local variant of Iris reticulata.
Plant offered by Leonid under this name strictly looking can't be named as kopetdaghense although it is collected not far from locus classicus of reticulata "kopetdaghense". Typical Kurbanov's plant has leaves below flower at blooming time. In Leonids plant (identical by color to Kurbanov's plant) leaves overtop the flower at blooming time. Just the position of leaves was the main feature for describing this new Iris.
Is the position of leaves relating to flower sufficient for new taxa? I don't think so. Another feature used by Kurbanov is shorter seed pod (sorry, may be another feature, I not remember so well, but certainly it was related to seed pod)
Hope you understood my entry. It isn't easy for me to explain in English this something complicated and confusing situation. Sorry for possible spelling mistakes in "kopetdaghense" (I'm writing from home where haven't literature side by side as in my office).
Janis
-
Janis,
you are very clear, and I just thank you for this explanation !
I don't really think that leaves size or flower color is enough to create new species ( European orchids are a good 'bad' example )
Could be a form or var. no more.
Anyway, nice flower ;)
-
Hope not to bore you with Iris pamphylica (yes, it is one of my favourites ;)) but I think it might be interesting for some.
Variation in the colour standards are rarly shown on the few pictures I have seen of this species, but existent in seedgrown plants. The plant on the right is the darkest one until now - the parents of this plants are paler - perhaps one day also a white one occurs.
-
Impossible to bore with Iris pamphylica Hans - it is a wonderful, most elegant species. The more pictures the better as far as I am concerned! The colour variations are fascinating and it would certainly be intriguing if a white one occurred. Do you know of white ones in the wild??
-
Thanks Gail,
I have no information if there occure white ones in nature, but as they vary in colour it might be possible. The only picture I know of this species which seems to be taken in its habitat is in 'Bulbous Plants of Turkey & Iran' of Peter Sheasby - it shows one flower and a bit of soil in the background. All the other pictures i have seen are of cultivated plants, mainly of other forumists as Janis Ruksans, John Lonsdale, Bulbissime or Biodiversite. Maybe Janis will know it. ;)
-
Gorgeous plants Hans !!
-
Fantastic Hans. You keep posting them, we'll keep drooling ;D
-
Janis, you are an excellent teacher.
-
I agree with Gail !
No boring with this species :o
If, one day, I could get a flower at home, I think I'll fill the memory card with pictures ;D
-
Hope not to bore you with Iris pamphylica (yes, it is one of my favourites ;)) but I think it might be interesting for some.
Variation in the colour standards are rarly shown on the few pictures I have seen of this species, but existent in seedgrown plants. The plant on the right is the darkest one until now - the parents of this plants are paler - perhaps one day also a white one occurs.
Your plants are excellent. I never had so good and variation was very minor but at some show in UK I saw quite great variability in excellent pot. Sorry, not remember exhibitors name, it was several years ago. At present I have only one or two pots and minus 24 C outside. Would like to be at your place Hans now, but not in summer spells.
Janis
-
First I. reticulata for me but I think it is wrong. The web site it came from shows a much paler flower.
? I. reticulata Lovely Lisa
-
Hans your plants are eye candy. Not hardy in the UK I would guess?
-
Strikes me that this may be a good time to repost Chris' montage of Iris reticulata types......
pic is a little larger than most....
-
Maggi I was about to do the same - great minds!
-
Thanks Maggi ;) a good idea :D
-
A wonderful resource, thank you. The second image on the bottom row - I think this is meant to be 'Marguérite' - a 'Clairette' look-alike but with light yellow variegations on leaves?
-
There was a display of reticulatas at Loughborough. When you see Pauline and Purple Gem side by side, they are very much the same colour and markings but Pauline is noticeably larger.
-
In attachment two pictures of Iris pamphylica in wild. I had shots from habitat but they were from my pre-digital era and too difficult to find now the correct slide. On that was pictured only leaves and I think one seedpod seen in wild. All were between branches at side of spiny shrub.
Janis
-
Would like to be at your place Hans now, but not in summer spells.
Janis
Thanks Janis, you are welcome. ;)
I live between the mountains and the beach is only a few minutes from home, so (if enough time) there is always an alternative even if temperatures rise up to over 40ºC. ;)
Thanks you very much for sharing those superb and very valuable pictures. :)
Thanks Marc - as I know I. pamphylica can be cultivated in Britain in a well ventilated bulbframe or greenhouse, the hardines should not be the problem, but it is said to be very susceptible to fungus diseases (see Bulbs/Rix; Iris/Mathew; Smaller Bulbs/Mathew).
-
Hans what altitude are you?
Pat
-
A wonderful resource, thank you. The second image on the bottom row - I think this is meant to be 'Marguérite' - a 'Clairette' look-alike but with light yellow variegations on leaves?
You are quite right Gail, this was one of mine, the name 'Marquette' came with the bulbs from the supplying nursery, but your description fits this clone and 'Marguérite' is a valid name where as 'Marquette' appears to apply to an Ixia! Sadly ( fom my point of view ) don't have 'Marguérite' anymore!
-
Updated with name correction.
-
Pat, at 140 m. ;)
-
Thank's Janis for your pics.
First time I see it in nature.
Hans, How do you manage for skiing ?? ;D 140 m long slope isn't a long course ;)
-
Fred, a height of 140 m would be enough, the problem is the missing snow ;) (although today the higher mountains were all white ::) )
Today I was surprised and very happy to find those three seedlings - seems I missed some seeds last year ;)
-
Lucky man :D
-
Just found this website today,
you probably know it already but there are some mouth watering hybrids on there:
http://www.reticulatas.com/
some of them are sold by Janis.
-
Iris reticulata 'Kuh-e-Abr'
-
David that is a cracker can i ask do you allow your retics that are in pots to dry out in the summer?
-
Yes I do Dave but last year I dried them out too quickly and I think this caused me to have very small bulbs when I re-potted last July. I grow all my potted retics in one of those plastic covered three tier mini greenhouses all the garden centres stock. Cost me about £15 originally and I'm now on my third one. After a while the plastic side structures give way because of the weight of the pots.
-
David,
very lovely. Nice broad honeymark. 8)
-
Iris histrioides var. sophenensis in full swing now and flowering for the first time since the vole attack of 2008, what I think is Iris x 'Vivacious Beginnings', please say if you have a different ID!!
-
I love Kuh-e-abr David ! :D
Mine are a few dayx away from their first flowering ! ;D
Wonderful sight Chris, is the second one an Alan Mc Murtrie cross ??
-
A typo there Chris It is "sophenensis", and it looks good too. Nice hybrid as well.
Luc, Kuh-e-Abr is one of my favourites.
-
Hi Luc and thanks, yes it's one of Alan's hybrids, had it for a while now but it has suffered two setbacks in its life! Maybe it can move towards bulking up now!!!
David, thanks for the correction, the brain moves on before the fingers have finished!! I'm waiting on my 'Cool, it's Abba', your photo reminds me of just how clear the blue is in this one!
-
;D ;D ;D
-
Thanks Gail,
I have no information if there occure white ones in nature, but as they vary in colour it might be possible. The only picture I know of this species which seems to be taken in its habitat is in 'Bulbous Plants of Turkey & Iran' of Peter Sheasby - it shows one flower and a bit of soil in the background. All the other pictures i have seen are of cultivated plants, mainly of other forumists as Janis Ruksans, John Lonsdale, Bulbissime or Biodiversite. Maybe Janis will know it. ;)
I was just re-reading Alan McMurtrie's article on reticulatas in the March 2003 AGS Bulletin. He mentions a white form of I. pamphylica which appeared in plants grown by John Amand.
-
Thanks for the information Gail, so maybe one day will appear one here.
-
Some irises in the bulb house now:
Firstly, a pot of Iranian Iris reticulata - long wait to see them flowering, but I think it was worth it.
Secondly, a kind friend gave me a bag of small bulbs and this is the first to flower - do not think it is one of the well known garden named forms.
Thirdly, can someone supply a name please.
-
I like 'em all Art, but the last one is quite a special colour !
-
Is the last one pretty true to colour Arthur?
-
Is the last one pretty true to colour Arthur?
I think it is probably a little darker - will try to take further shots for comparison.
-
Beautiful Iris, Arthur! Sorry cannot help with ID.
Here Iris zagrica from Iran flowers for the first time (thanks to a very generous forumist! ;)) - it is something similar to Iris pamphylica.
-
That is lovely Hans - I got some seed of I. zagrica from the Archibalds this year so fingers crossed it comes up!
-
Very very beautifull species hans !
I hope you'll get somme seeds ... ;)
smaller than I. pamphyllica and as coloured
-
Super flower Hans !!! :o
-
Hans thanks for the comparison photo.
-
Hans , thank you for showing the handsome I. zagrica .This is the first time I have seen it , it looks as though it may ripen its seeds on a stem like I. pamphylica - must be closely related . Hope my seed from J.J. A. will germinate .
-
Iris ret. Kuh-e-Abr opened in the sun today.
2 flowers :D from 3 bulbs - nr 3 way behind and looking terribly virused... >:(
-
Some irises in the bulb house now:
Firstly, a pot of Iranian Iris reticulata - long wait to see them flowering, but I think it was worth it.
Secondly, a kind friend gave me a bag of small bulbs and this is the first to flower - do not think it is one of the well known garden named forms.
Thirdly, can someone supply a name please.
The first resembles Iris hyrcana, but I'm not sure as in last year gave little attention to my reticulatas.
Janis
-
Iris ret. Kuh-e-Abr opened in the sun today.
2 flowers :D from 3 bulbs - nr 3 way behind and looking terribly virused... >:(
Luc, unfortunately the others look very suspect too :(
It's so frustrating to buy bulbs that turn out to be heavily diseased.
-
Luc, sorry but I share Ashley's view :( Compare the colour of your plants with mine from earlier in the week. We can compare notes on suppliers by PM if you like.
-
A few reticulata cultivars here:
Clairette (x2)
Cantab
Katherine Hodgkin
lost label but a common one
-
Super brilliant shots Ashley,
the last one could be "Harmony".
-
Congratulations Hans!
This is a really unique plant! Incredible beautiful and sooooo cute (how high does it get??)!
It would be interesting to know if it is self-fertile but I think you will try to find out - don't you?
Janis offers it in his last catalogue (BTW: Janis, in your catalogue you wrote that maybe Iris histrioides is the best of the reticulatae-section. Janis, how could you!!!!!!!! :o) but although I swore myself that I would buy this beauty as soon as it becomes available, it is a bit too expensive for me (now father of four children...). Seeds would be a good alternative but unfortunately I do not get the JJA-catalogue by post and whenever I hear of something interesting from them, it was always too late in the past - pity :'(!
One question about the coloring: Is this just my impression that the "bluer" the styles - the more purple the falls. If the styles are white, the falls seem to be more dark violet. Anyway, the photo really shows an ideal combination of colors - really great! ;)
-
the last one could be "Harmony".
I think you're right Armin. Thanks.
-
Has everyone seen the fantastic picture of I. zagrica on the AGS site? (You have to scroll past a lot of galanthus!)
http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/discussion/miscellaneous/RHS+London+Early+Spring+Show+/349/
-
I hadn't seen those pix on the AGS site, Gail, thanks.
The last flower of I. zagrica in close up looks to have virus in it....eek! And the plant was awarded a Botanical commendation! :o
-
Virused or not, I find that the coloring of Hans plant is superior to the ones shown onthe AGS-site.
Nevertheless: all are really gorgeous plants indeed!
-
+20c yesterday encouraged 'Katherine Hodgkin' and histrioides to flower, temperatures now down to +2c with snow, oh the humanity!
-
Iris ret. Kuh-e-Abr opened in the sun today.
2 flowers :D from 3 bulbs - nr 3 way behind and looking terribly virused... >:(
Luc, unfortunately the others look very suspect too :(
It's so frustrating to buy bulbs that turn out to be heavily diseased.
I have recovered from shock now Ashley.. :'( I decided to let the leaves develop a bit more and post another pic here for further examination.. :-\
I'll also drop a line to the supplier, see what he says.
In the mean time my moral has boosted seeing your wonderful Iris, Ashley and Chris : beautiful stuff !!
-
Thanks Luc, I do hope you get satisfaction from your supplier!
-
the last one could be "Harmony".
I think you're right Armin. Thanks.
Could be JOYCE, too - the difference is very small.
Janis
-
Thanks for all the kind comments!
Hans , thank you for showing the handsome I. zagrica .This is the first time I have seen it , it looks as though it may ripen its seeds on a stem like I. pamphylica - must be closely related . Hope my seed from J.J. A. will germinate .
Otto, in last years topic there were shown some very beautiful pictures of this species - if I remember well also of the seedpods. I am sure some more pictures will follow here a bit later (here nearly everything is earlier than in the more northern parts of europe)
@winwen - it is about 10 cm high and belongs to the smaller flowering ones of the reticulata group - but I agree with you, it is a gem. Think it will not be self fertil but in any way I tried to self it.
@gail - thanks for the link, the pictures are really fantastic - but I fear maggi's suspicion is correct.
Chris + ashley thanks for showing those beauties!
-
Thanks for looking Hans!
Some old timers and newbies flowering. The danfordiae is the standard triploid in cultivation. This is in it's second consecutive flowering year. 'Lovely Liza' is new to me this year, Iris 'Harmony' bulks up very quickly in the open garen here. Lastly 'Velvet Smile' is in a covered bulb bed, she has bulked up to point where she can move out into the open garden the end of this season.
-
Looking good Chris !
They seem to like the Balkan conditions !
I planted 3 bulbs of Lovely Liza in 2008 - got only 1 flower last year and am very curious what it will give this year ? (not showing yet)
-
Hi Luc,
I can't think of a single reticulata that hasn't performed better here than in th UK.No great surprise given the change in latitude I guess. I had some Iris vartanii pips from Alex, I put 4 in the open garden, and 4 each in two bulb frames. The garden pips came up last, missed a cold snap, they are now the better looking plants! A good summer bake is all but guaranteed here whch seems to enhance flowering.
We have seedligs from our own seed and from Alan McMurtrie ad it will be interesting to see how quickly they go to flower!
I shall look forward to seeing your 'Lovely Liza' Luc, is she pot,frame or garden growing?
-
My Liza is in the garden Chris ! ;)
Do I read correctly that your climate doesn't guarantee a good summer baking ?? I would have thought you did have a hot and dry summer ???
-
Hi Luc,
It is possible to have a 'wet summer' here, but they are very rare and do not constitute a wet summer NW Europe style. It can rain like mad for a week in July or August and within a few days all will be dry again! I guess I am being just a little cautious having only seen 5 summers in Bulgaria. I shoud go for a dry summer bake is guaranteed I guess!! ??? :D 8)
-
Seems reasonable to me... ;D ;D ;D
-
Lovely show Chris, and flowering Iris danfordiae two years running-I'm impressed!!
-
Lovely shows, indeed.
...flowering Iris danfordiae two years running-I'm impressed!!
Is that unusual there? ??? Just curious... of the commonly-available bulbous irises here, I. reticulata & cultivars have better longevity and naturalize better, but I haven't noticed a reluctance to bloom in I. danfordiae... climatic differences?
-
Lori, it is notorious for breaking down into rice grains after it's first year of flowering. It's said that deep planting (ie 15cm) and heavy feeding helps but that has never worked for me. Given that £2 ish will buy 10 bulbs in most garden centres it's worth re-planting every year.
-
Oh, thanks for the expanation, David. Perhaps that's what happens when I. danfordiae eventually dies out here (in my experience anyway), though it takes some years. It does sound likely related to climate/conditions.
-
Glad you liked em David. These were planted deep and I wonder if the summer heat / length of growing season assisted in their flowering for the 2nd year running. We'll see what happens next year!
-
My Saltspring Island friend, whom I'm sure I've mentioned before, manages to flower Iris danfordiae in a pot, year after year. Knowing his cultural methods, the potting soil is probably generously enriched with manure and compost.
-
Now that really is impresive Rodger, I assume he is growing the triploid form?
-
Now that really is impresive Rodger, I assume he is growing the triploid form?
Triploid danfordiae really benefits from deep planting and rich soil.
Janis
-
Danfordiae is poking thru now with buds for the 3rd year in a row along with good increase.
John B
in Kansas USA
Lovely show Chris, and flowering Iris danfordiae two years running-I'm impressed!!
-
John,three years, great! Is this the triploid form? What conditions are you growing it under?
In the open garden today;
Iris reticulata 'Joyce'
Iris reticulata 'Gordon'
Iris reticulata 'Purple Gem'
Iris winogradowii x 'Sheila Ann Germaney'
The day after;
Iris reticulata 'Halkis'
-
Hi Chris. I do not know if it is triploid, bought from Van Engelen. It is several of the regular
beds outside.
John
-
Nice pictures, Chris!
My first flower from the Reticulata-Section
is a dark form from Iris histrio var.aintabensis
-
Some excellent shots Chris !! Nice clump of "Joyce"
I see you have many more noses poking through Dirk !!
-
Cheers Dirk & Luc!
Great to see aintabensis Dirk, very attractive flower, as the story goes, one I had but lost!!
-
This is the plant I bought as Iris histrioides var. major. I thought histrioides was meant to leaf after flowering and this looks to me more like one of the Harmony/Joyce type cultivars. Looking at Dominique's picture from last year http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1194.msg34325#msg34325 his looks a shorter plant and petal's more widely spaced. (Mine is currently 11.5cm tall, flowers around 4.5cm across) Any comments welcome...
-
Here's mine Gail - post nr 39
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4834.30
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4834.msg133440#msg133440
-
Thanks Luc - yours looks a different shape to mine too.
-
This is the plant I bought as Iris histrioides var. major. I thought histrioides was meant to leaf after flowering and this looks to me more like one of the Harmony/Joyce type cultivars. Looking at Dominique's picture from last year http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1194.msg34325#msg34325 his looks a shorter plant and petal's more widely spaced. (Mine is currently 11.5cm tall, flowers around 4.5cm across) Any comments welcome...
Gail, your Iris is possibly not 'Major', the leave comes by this form with or after
the flower.
See this picture:
-
Thank you Dirk, I agree. Mine will be demoted to 'Iris misnamed'.
-
Next question - Iris danfordiae was first collected by Helen Danford in 1876 on the north side of Mt Anascha.
When I google Anascha I just get lots of references to marijuana (?!). Does anyone know the current name for the mountain, and if the iris still grows there?
-
Mine will be demoted to 'Iris misnamed'.
Oh I grow that one too, in so many forms ;D
-
Next question - Iris danfordiae was first collected by Helen Danford in 1876 on the north side of Mt Anascha.
When I google Anascha I just get lots of references to marijuana (?!). Does anyone know the current name for the mountain, and if the iris still grows there?
A lot of names in Turkey are changed, some even many times.
Janis
-
Next question - Iris danfordiae was first collected by Helen Danford in 1876 on the north side of Mt Anascha.
When I google Anascha I just get lots of references to marijuana (?!). Does anyone know the current name for the mountain, and if the iris still grows there?
Couldn't it be Anasha instead of Anascha? There is a village in Turkey named Anasha which lies in the Taurus Mountains in Southern Turkey. Mountains near a village often are named after that nearby village so the mountain would be Anasha Dagh. Whether the plant still occurs there I don't know.
-
Thank you for that. I got the spelling Anascha from Dykes' The Genus Iris but spellings of place names are notoriously variable. It was said to be in the Cilician Taurus.
I was looking yesterday at the I. danfordiae that my local garden centre were selling potted up (one of a big chain more interested in 'gifts' than plants). They were all labelled correctly, unlike the next tray where 3 different reticulata cultivars were all claiming to be 'Purple Gem', but many of the bulbs were badly affected with botrytis and/or blue moulds and had yellow streaky leaves which I assume indicates virus infection.
I was intrigued to see that their irises bore stickers proudly proclaiming "Grown in Britain", as I'm sure that they were actually grown in The Netherlands, imported in the autumn and then consigned to small pots of claggy peat-based compost and overwatered in Britain. I suspect "Grown in the Netherlands; Killed in Britain" would have been more honest!
-
I've been lurking on this thread and watching with a great deal of envy. I really struggle to grow the reticulata Irises ???
Even more embarrassingly we have pretty much perfect garden soil and aspect for most bulbs but the reticulatas just disapppear after a year or two. I kept winogradowii going in pots for a while, and still have some McMurtrie seedlings alive but not flowering. Ironically I can keep and flower Hermodactylus in pots indefinitely whereas most growers seem to find them harder in pots.
One day i will find the space and the time to try and solve this but meanwhile please keep taunting me with your lovely pictures everyone ;) ;D
-
No need to be embarrassed Darren - you're not alone struggling to grow them well in the garden... :-\
-
I wish we could just get them here in SA, let alone struggle to grow them! :P
-
Calvin is it not possible to grow them?
-
No need to be embarrassed Darren - you're not alone struggling to grow them well in the garden... :-\
... and I struggle with them in the garden too Darren.
-
Not sure why I am able to grow them well in the garden - my soil is acid. All the clumps are increasing, with the exception of danfordiae.
-
Today first flower open on my 'Katharine Hodgkin'
This photo was taken prevoius year (02/03/09)
-
Some stunning pics there!
I bought this little pot and realise from the pics here that the bulbs should in fact be below the soil which I will rectify later. How deep should the bulbs be? I have repotted in a larger pot though. They are just labelled Iris Reticulata. Help with ID appreciated please.
-
I think it is safe to say that the Mcmurtie hybrids are hardy :) Iris Evening Twilight trapped under the ice in one of my boxes, hope the bulbs are still okay.
Susan
-
Mark, I have never seen any available here in SA. I don't know why they are not around. Our local bulb wholesale dealer, Hadeco, supplies pre-chilled tulips as well as Narcissus, Hyacinths, Ranunculus, Leucojum, Dutch Iris etc every year to garden centres but I have never seen reticulate irises. I noticed last year that they had crocus available to order off their website for the first time that I know of.
-
Some reticulate irises in the greenhouse today.
-
Susan do you sell Mcmurtie hybrids or is that just from your own private collection as i'm after getting my hands on some.
-
Susan do you sell Mcmurtie hybrids or is that just from your own private collection as i'm after getting my hands on some.
You are young -unless that is an old avatar - and should try growing them from seed. Old timers like David Nicholson and I are taking this route. Seed is not expensive and you can buy quite a lot of different selections. As Ian Y says growing from seed is the best way and in the variability you may get some nice surprises.
Sorry Susan if I have just cost you sales :)
-
Thank you Authur for your kind comment that photo was last year,can you please point me in the direction of the seed source.Sorry to be a pain
-
Davey
Website is www.reticulatas.com Be warned, you need time when going to this site as the images can take your breath away.
-
Arthur, If I had got round to buying the seed when I first enquired they would have been flowering by now. I am positive I will get round to it this year.
Davey, I am bulking them up at the moment,Evening Twilight has done really well outside so far and it is on the list. I have also a couple of others which I will check their names and probably put on this year.
Susan
-
FANTASTIC SUSAN i have a look on your list
-
Susan do you sell Mcmurtie hybrids or is that just from your own private collection as i'm after getting my hands on some.
Hey Davey,
Janis Ruksans sells some of his hybrids too. Here's the link:
http://www.reticulatas.com/HTML%20Pages/Janis.html
-
Cheers Wim i will be ordering of Janis in month or so but its always nice to have as many suppliers at your fingertips. ;D
-
Some stunning pics there!
I bought this little pot and realise from the pics here that the bulbs should in fact be below the soil which I will rectify later. How deep should the bulbs be? I have repotted in a larger pot though. They are just labelled Iris Reticulata. Help with ID appreciated please.
Hi Indigo,
I think sensibly nobody wants to commit themselves to an ID on your iris - it is really difficult from a photo as the colours rarely come true and as you will have gathered from this thread plants can be mixed up in cultivation. Yours looks like the one I have as Pixie, a good rich purple but that is not to say my Pixie is correct!
As to depth; I was just rereading an article in a past British Iris Society yearbook by Sidney Linnegar who grows reticulatas extremely well. He recommends planting 20cm deep when outdoors or in bulb frames and generally uses 'long tom' type pots but does grow the hybrids five bulbs in a 15cm pot. He feeds fortnightly with a nitrogen based fertiliser from just before flowering until the leaves stop growing.
-
Nice greenhouse specimens Arthur.
Flowering yesterday ( today the frame is back under snow! ) Iris 'Clairette'.
-
My 'Alida' flowering now. Sadly the best clump is under the duck and once Bendicks has sat on something it tends to stay squashed!
-
Hmm, not so much a "monster mash" as a "Muscovy mush" .... ::) ;D
-
Gail, Maggi,
animals seem instictive to know which is the nicest and rarest species to sit on and to make a convienient rest >:(
Sometimes we could have cried, do you agree? :'(
-
nicest and rarest species to sit on and to make a convienient rest
Sadly this is true.... in the same way as they know the ones to eat which will upset us the most..... :'(
-
Armin.
Tom cats here like to 'spray' the Helianthemum, not the nicest smell in the flower garden! :-X :o
-
:) sadly have to agree on the animals, the spaniel across the road destroyed my Santolina a few years ago, I had been very proud of that plant too ;) My current dog doesn't mind what she stands or pees on, the crocus had a watering the other day. ::)
Gail, thanks for your help, I'd been swithering between Harmony, Pixie and Joyce from the montage posted earlier. On further investigation, you're right, Pixie seems most likely as the others are described as sky blue. Mine I would describe as very deep royal blue/ navy going towards purple but of course all our perceptions can be different. For the moment I'll go with Pixie :)
I have investigated and only that one bulb is still alive, the others have rotted and are now in the compost. I've filled the pot to the brim with compost and will plant deeper next week. Perhaps it will survive till next year... Thanks for your help ;D
-
Armin.
Tom cats here like to 'spray' the Helianthemum, not the nicest smell in the flower garden! :-X :o
The only help is a lavish water splash washing off the bad smell ;) Afterwards spray a dog smell (Keep off Spray) ;)
-
Good advice Armin, a generous splash of water on the plant or over the cat? ;D
-
Chris, I leave this up to you!
Both might be most effective. ;D
-
Iris winogradowii from Janis.
Alex
-
Gail, Maggi,
animals seem instictive to know which is the nicest and rarest species to sit on and to make a convienient rest >:(
Sometimes we could have cried, do you agree? :'(
It is mostly the local rodent population that make me want to cry - they have eaten so many of my bulbs and as you say tend to choose the expensive ones first. The ducks actually don't do that much damage (chickens are worse because they always want to scratch things up) but anyway Bendicks is such a lovely character that I would forgive him anything!
-
Iris winogradowii from Janis.
Alex
Lovely Alex. I thought the mice had eaten mine but noticed one flower starting to open today.
-
Gail,
We had massive problems here with voles and mice eating bulbs over the winter. We re-made our bulb beds - a layer of chuckies, gritsand and limestone chipping impregnated loam, topped with an inch layer of crushed limestone, the bulbs love it but the mice and voles hate digging into it, problem solved!
-
Just found this website today,
you probably know it already but there are some mouth watering hybrids on there:
http://www.reticulatas.com/
some of them are sold by Janis.
interested to see that--he's in canada!
-
Hi Cohan,
Yes, Alan is Iris reticulata central. To my knowledge he has the most comprehensive breeding programme in the world! We got 1000 seeds from him several years ago and are looking forward to the flowers in a few years time! The range of colours is mind numbing! I love the russet browns and orange types, the green ones too, ok, all of them! ;)
-
Iris,? bought in a garden centre as,
Iris reticulata Harmony.
-
Michael
Very nice potful. How much was it - would like to compare with the prices charged at Wisley.
-
Arthur that potfull was €1-80
-
Hi Cohan,
Yes, Alan is Iris reticulata central. To my knowledge he has the most comprehensive breeding programme in the world! We got 1000 seeds from him several years ago and are looking forward to the flowers in a few years time! The range of colours is mind numbing! I love the russet browns and orange types, the green ones too, ok, all of them! ;)
it does seem he has some interesting things--fitting he's in toronto, since that's where i first saw reticulatas, not knowing anything about reticulatas, other than that they were obvioulsy small irises--they were about the earliest flower there, and some nice patches near where i lived..
my taste does run to natural species, but who knows, maybe i will get some mixed seeds or seedlings...
-
I love the reticulata Iris too, but wondering what you all do with the elongating foliage. I measured some of mine last year greater than 3' (1 meter) long after flowering, they seem absurdly long growing compared to the plant in flower. In the garden, the foliage is sort of ridiculous.
I assume one should not cut off foliage prematurely to tidy up.
-
I love the reticulata Iris too, but wondering what you all do with the elongating foliage. I measured some of mine last year greater than 3' (1 meter) long after flowering, they seem absurdly long growing compared to the plant in flower. In the garden, the foliage is sort of ridiculous.
I assume one should not cut off foliage prematurely to tidy up.
that's interesting! the only place i really know them from is the gardens at ryerson university in toronto, where they came up early, looked like crocus foliage, and, i assumed, reached the same proportions..this garden was a marvel of succession and by midsummer featured a wealth of larger to very large plants, so i never really noticed what became of the bulb foliage...
-
What particular species produce meter-long and longer leaves??
-
What particular species produce meter-long and longer leaves??
The ones that had leaves 1 meter long were in a bed that has I. histrio and various I. histrioides hybrids, I don't know exactly which it was this past year, will take note this year. But even if all don't reach 3' (1 meter), the I. reticulata cultivars have ridiculously long foliage after flowering, 2' at least (60 cm), way beyond their endearing near-stemless alpine look when flowering; this ugly fact cannot be denied (well, at least it is never talked about much).
-
Hi Cohan,
Yes, Alan is Iris reticulata central. To my knowledge he has the most comprehensive breeding programme in the world! We got 1000 seeds from him several years ago and are looking forward to the flowers in a few years time! The range of colours is mind numbing! I love the russet browns and orange types, the green ones too, ok, all of them! ;)
my taste does run to natural species, but who knows, maybe i will get some mixed seeds or seedlings...
Cohan, I'd go for it, I was a firm 'species' fan for a few years but the Pleione orchid bug transmuted into an Iris sophensis x bug!! When you know the natural colour range of a species and then someone starts offerings all sorts of bizarre colour breaks....., and all of this in a species that requires little fuss, too good to pass up!
Mark, I think the foliage length will depend on light levels, whilst we can get long leaves here they rarely exceed 30cm on Iris reticuata / histrioides. x 'Katherine Hodgkin' and an Iris reticulata hort. tend to be the longest leaved with us.
I actually read some blurb on a site suggesting that the attractve foliage of Iris reticulata was an added bonus after the fowers had finished, takes all sorts I guess!! ;)
-
the I. reticulata cultivars have ridiculously long foliage after flowering, 2' at least (60 cm), way beyond their endearing near-stemless alpine look when flowering; this ugly fact cannot be denied (well, at least it is never talked about much).
Wow, that's very interesting! Admittedly, I only have a few of 2 or 3 of the most common I. reticulata cultivars, however I've never noticed the foliage getting anywhere near that tall here... not even a foot tall, I don't think. I'll have to remember to make note of it this year.
-
Hi Cohan,
Yes, Alan is Iris reticulata central. To my knowledge he has the most comprehensive breeding programme in the world! We got 1000 seeds from him several years ago and are looking forward to the flowers in a few years time! The range of colours is mind numbing! I love the russet browns and orange types, the green ones too, ok, all of them! ;)
my taste does run to natural species, but who knows, maybe i will get some mixed seeds or seedlings...
Cohan, I'd go for it, I was a firm 'species' fan for a few years but the Pleione orchid bug transmuted into an Iris sophensis x bug!! When you know the natural colour range of a species and then someone starts offerings all sorts of bizarre colour breaks....., and all of this in a species that requires little fuss, too good to pass up!
i admit some of the hybrids are zowie, but the more species i see--i've been skimming through the iris threads, among others--the more i think there is plenty enough variation in nature for me! of course i don't expect to grow all those amazing plants from israel and lower elevations in turkey etc, but i still think there are far more species than i will ever have room/time for..
however, i am also into bargains, so if a whack of mixed progeny is a cheapish way to fill a couple of beds with spring flowers, i may do it ;)
probably i am too late for seed this winter, and too early/late for babies, so enough time to decide later...lol
-
I havent showed anyone my Iris reticulata this year because I'm worried they are wrong.
Something happened yesterday evening that has prompted me to write.
I gave a lecture last night, on snowdrops, and always bring a boot full of pots for a display. Among the various honey scents from snowdrops and Crocus was another lovely sweet scent. Putting everything out on the display table I checked all plants. The scent was from Clairette smelling very strong of primroses.
-
Agree about the lovely fragrance of Clairette. I was sniffing retics at the Amand stand at Harlow and the scents vary greatly with some eg. Sheila Ann Germany having a strange tang that reminds me of hospitals. I asked the woman standing next to me if she could put a name to the scent but she couldn't detect it at all.
-
Galanthus Sally's Double has a hospital scent.
-
I havent showed anyone my Iris reticulata this year because I'm worried they are wrong.
Mark, are they pretty? Show them with the names you have got for them, it's not like the rest
of us on this thread haven't got 'suspect' reticulatas!! :D
-
I.r.pauline is my favourite dark purple and Mark its perfume is stunning in the greenhouse.
-
I haven't yet recognized a scent on retic's at all. Must keep my nose in a flower when open :D
Dave, that is a nice potful! 8)
I had it once but it didn't liked my loamy soil. :'(
-
First a problem and a rant. If someone spends good money on Iris they should arrive as described. These Lady Beatrix Stanley were bought mail order for me last year. So far there are three different Iris
-
Mark,
do I see virus infection on the right reticulata? :(
-
yes, unfortunately.
-
Unfortunately I agree it looks like virus
-
For my three LBS answers on a postcard to 43 Birch Hill Park .......
-
I have 3 I. hyracana. They were perfect until this year. First year 1 bulb, year 2 two bulbs and this year 3. Now they have virus but from where?
-
Aphids?
-
Some of my retics;
I. 'George' - has survived for more that 10 years in a sort-of-raised bed. Hasn't increased but I suspect that is mostly rodents thinning the population.
I. reticulata 'Halkis'
I. reticulata 'Kuh-e-Abr' (looks more blue in the picture than it does to my eye)
Obtained as I. histrio from Paul Christian in 2007, nice scent
Obtained as 'Spring Time' - bought as potted bulb from garden centre, the label shows a blue iris with orange crest which this doesn't have so is it Clairette instead?
-
Lovely series Gail !!!
-
'Halkis' is very nice ::)
-
This what I have as Edward. This year most flowers are deformed but in a nice way
-
First a problem and a rant. If someone spends good money on Iris they should arrive as described. These Lady Beatrix Stanley were bought mail order for me last year. So far there are three different Iris
Count yourself (relatively) lucky Mark. Last year I ordered Iris LBS & received the snowdrop instead :-\
-
Hi Gail,
Here is my 'Springtime' from Leonid Bondarenko, much darker in the tips of the falls than 'Clairette'.
-
Thanks for that Chris - yes I can see mine is wrong.
-
Not a bad trade off though Gail, most suppliers seem to charge more for 'Clairette' than 'Springtime'. ;)
-
I. reticulata 'Halkis'
Gail, this is indeed a lovely Reticulate Iris - thanks for your great photos showing the differences between all five so clearly....I've seen George here and really like it too 8)
-
Obtained as 'Spring Time' - bought as potted bulb from garden centre, the label shows a blue iris with orange crest which this doesn't have so is it Clairette instead?
Hi Gail.
I don't think your mystery iris is Clairette. I have posted a picture of the plant I grow as Clairette. It has the 8 ribbed leaves which reflect its parentage as a hybrid of Iris bakeriana. The flowers are quite narrow petalled and have delicate look to them. Your plant appears to have more substantial flowers and square 4 ribbed leaves. I have also posted a picture of Iris bakeriana grown from wild seed where the 8 ribbed (almost round in x-section) leaves are more easily seen.
What I cannot say is what your plant really is!
edit : sorry the I bakeriana pic is a bit big but it does help you see the leaves :)
-
AShley, that is a crazy mistake!
-
Hi Tony,
Interesting stuff, what I grow as 'Clairette' is from Leonid Bondarenko and has 4 ribbed leaves rather than 8, though the juvenile leaves are less distinct in this respect. Given that Gails iris is from a garden centre I would guess that it is unlikely to be too exotic ( though you never know how the bulbs were sourced ), the flower colouration might hint at 'Marguerite' as another candidate to 'Clairette', since I don't grow this one I can't check the leaves etc. In the photo your 'Clairette' flower to my eye is moving towards violet tinged standards, is this my eyesight or an accurate observaion? Looking back on the old SRGC forum there were many posts for what I think is the horticultural form of Iris bakeriana, these pics look very much like your 'Clairette'. Most available pics of 'Clairette' on the net suggest at 4 rather than 8 ribbed leaves. ( not to say what is in cultivation is always correct! ;) )
Regards
Chris
Chewing the cud, here is Leonid's pic of 'Clairette';
(http://www.litbulbgarden.com/ss/190.jpg)
and 'Springtime' my pic of plant from Leonid is below.
'Springtime' has eight ribbed leaves and again looks closer to your 'Clairette' and bakeriana.
-
First time flowerers for me
Iris (Iridodyctium) kolpakowskiana
Iris reticulata ARMENIA
-
Just returned from Turkey. In attachment few pictures of Iris pamphylica in wild. Sorry for not good quality. On field I found that my camera bateries are empty, so those are few shots made by my friends after my request.
Janis
-
Chris, nice retics. Like the 'Arminia'. ;) ;D
Janis, lovely images from I. pamphylica in the wild. Pict. 3 would be my favourite. 8)
-
:D :D ;)
-
Interesting comments everyone, I didn't get chance today to check the ribs on the plants I have as 'Clairette' but this is an old picture (2008) to compare 'Marguérite'(left) and 'Clairette' (right). The leaves on 'Marguérite' don't show up really well but on the second leaf from left you should see the long yellow stripe. It doesn't look like a virus induced variegation but the plant seems less vigorous and is no longer with me.
Chris - lovely pics of I. kolpakowskiana (good to see the unusual leaves so clearly) and your Armenian reticulata.
Janis - thank you so much for posting the wild I. pamphylica, like Armin I love the look of the third picture.
-
I'm fast coming to the conclusion that Iris reticulata is as confusing as Crocus biflorus and its ssps!
I'm happy to stand corrected about the plant I grow as Clairette, perhaps just the Hort form of I bakeriana BUT that does not make it Iris bakeriana, I suspect it's a hybrid...... so what should we call it? Iris bakeriana Hort?
They're all nice but a pity they are so prone to virus :'(
-
Chris, nice retics. Like the 'Arminia'. ;) ;D
Janis, lovely images from I. pamphylica in the wild. Pict. 3 would be my favourite. 8)
Armin and Gail,
Pity, but picture #3 is result of fotoshop. Original picture was almost unusable, too overexposed and I did the maximum possible to make flower visible. Really all are of poor quality and I posted those only to show habitat where I. pamphylica grow. Other pictures are much more correct in color although they are not so sharp as I would like.
Janis
-
Gail, thanks for posting that combo,it really does suggest that the main difference between these two is that 'Clairette' is more robust and perhaps 'rounder' in the tips of the falls.
Tony, I agree retics are fab but the cultivars have become so mixed up over the years, though in this instance it is 'our' fault, crocus biflorus has perhaps done it all on its own! :D Iris bakeriana hort. seems to be a convention that crops up where the plant is known to be like bakerina but isn't.
Janis, thanks for the informative pics, for wild pics I'd say the habitat is of as much, if not more interest than the flowers.Indicates possible 'tretments' for those who wish to attempt growing in the open garden.
-
Again it is snowing, but I made some pictures of Alan McMurtrie's reticulata hybrids blooming now in greenhouse.
Janis
Iris (r) 00-JB-1 -05.
Iris (r) 97-CK-3 -11.
Iris (r) 98-PR-3 -07.
Iris (r) Down to Earth 94-AT-2 -12.
Iris (r) Making Out 95-CS-1 -13.
Iris (r) Regal 98-NP-9 -08.
Iris (r) Sea Green 97-CQ-1 -08.
Iris (r) Sunbeam 98-NP-7 -04.
-
The plant below was exhibited at the Loughborough AGS show in early March under the name Iris reticulata ex Adiaun. Is the plant or name known to anybody??
-
Again it is snowing, but I made some pictures of Alan McMurtrie's reticulata hybrids blooming now in greenhouse.............
I've a year or three to go but if I get anything half as good as those from my Alan McMurtrie seed I'll be well pleased.
-
Haven't a clue Rob but if you find out do let us know please.
-
Again it is snowing, but I made some pictures of Alan McMurtrie's reticulata hybrids blooming now in greenhouse.
Janis
Lovely pictures Janis of some amazing coloured plants - I'm making out a shopping list.....
-
Hello everybody ! I need your help for a lovely iris obtained as Iris aff. reticulata KMZ 9505, very small. For comparison, I show it with Iris zagrica (I think same origin as Hans' ones). What do you think about its identity ?
Iris pamphylica i just beginning.
-
sorry for the two inappropriate pics...
-
DSCN3051#001.jpg What a lovely Iris. Which is it?
-
Iris histrio from Mt Ziyaret, Turkey
-
...and the beautiful thing in the upper part of DSCN3222 must be I. zagrica - right 8)?
-
That KMZ 9505 is lovely!
There has been a lot of discussion on here about virus. I was reading the award write-up for 'Gordon' in the December AGs bulletin and it states that stock of 'Gordon' is 'clean', unlike other cultivars. Yet the accompanying picture of Kew's award plant show suspicious signs of mottling if I look closely at the bracts sheathing the leaf bases... ::)
Perhaps I am imagining it or misinterpreting it?
-
Thanks.
-
There has been a lot of discussion on here about virus. I was reading the award write-up for 'Gordon' in the December AGs bulletin and it states that stock of 'Gordon' is 'clean', unlike other cultivars. Yet the accompanying picture of Kew's award plant show suspicious signs of mottling if I look closely at the bracts sheathing the leaf bases... ::)
Perhaps I am imagining it or misinterpreting it?
I see the mottling you refer to in that photo, Darren... but I think that there tends to be mottling in most reticulate sheaths.....so that is a point I am not too sure on, it may just be a regular feature. :-\
I am a lot more concerned about striping in the flowers of show plants that are being pictured in show reports.... scary from my viewpoint!
-
Thank you for that Maggi and i hope that it is just a regular feature. I agree with you about plants in the shows too.
-
This mottling in the sheathes also seems to 'fade' as the plants develop.
Last reticulata to flower here is Iris reticulata hort.
No cultivar name, but can be bought at times from garden centres.
Reliably the last reticulata to flower with me, always with very well developed leaves.
I love the colour and flower form, not so keen on the leaves, hey ho, 2 out of 3 ain't so bad!
-
A very good colour Chris !
-
Glad u like Lucit's a nice dark,I'm gonna split it up this year into plantings of 2 bulbs in hopes of getting a better appreciation of the flower form. :)
-
I love the colour too Hristo, it looks like velvet... are the markings more of an orange than yellow? Is this as high as the flower grows? I have to say I do like seeing the flower with the leaf...so long as it is visible ;D
-
Hi RR, yes and yes to your questions. The clumps are currently congested so I'm hoping that splitting them up will make the flowers more visible. :D
-
My Iris winogradowii with 6 flowers. Maybe its reaction after the long and cold winter ?
The secound picture from a few years ago shows the individual flower.
-
Ooh Luc, wunderful clump :o 8)
-
Very nice indeed Luc.
-
Robs picture of Iris exAdiaun at the loughbourgh show March 6th, was my pot.I spelt the name wrong. The lable slipped to the bottom of the pot when I was replacing the frost shatterd one the day before the show! I believe it should be ex Adiyaman though I am not certain. I bought it as a single bulb six years ago from Norman Stevens. It has a lovely sweet scent like honeysuckle.
-
Congrats Mr S - wonderful pot of Wino !! ;)
-
I never showed these and they are now over due to high temperatures and wind
?Clairette
?Edward
?Spring Time
?William or is it Natasha?
-
Mark
How do you find growing William compared to Natascha. I had heard that it was easier to grow, but my experience is exactly the opposite. I now have a patch of Natascha in the garden! - picture later
-
Arthur I have only one William. About 6 years ago I bought a lot of Natasha and planted them in one raised bed. I now have ....
-
.... none! Within a couple of years all were dead.
-
Robs picture of Iris exAdiaun at the loughbourgh show March 6th, was my pot.I spelt the name wrong. The lable slipped to the bottom of the pot when I was replacing the frost shatterd one the day before the show! I believe it should be ex Adiyaman though I am not certain. I bought it as a single bulb six years ago from Norman Stevens. It has a lovely sweet scent like honeysuckle.
Hello Peter, a warm welcome to the Forum .... you will gather we all thought your Iris was lovely! Please do show us more of your collection 8)
-
My 'Cantab' is flowering now - it is the same colour as 'Alida' but 'Alida' is more robust and has much wider petals. Cantab has the better fragrance. Second picture shows Cantab left and Alida right, sorry about the poor focus, I should have checked the photos before I pulled the flowers apart to pollinate them!
Also flowering one labelled I. histrio subsp. aintabensis. Flower is a 'Dulux white with a hint of grey' and small (8cm tall and 4.8cm across). Opinions?
-
Gail
Could the histrio be 'William' - see Marks picture above.
-
Mark's William looks a very pure white which mine isn't and Natasha is more of a bluey-white. I remember seeing one called Caucasica?? somewhere but don't have it to compare.
-
Daz white Gail. Very pale blue maybe duck egg blue though I havent seen a duck egg in years. Tomorrow I'll get the colour chart out
-
Gail, it may just be the light in which you took the pic but your little histrio doesn't look like ssp. aintabensis to me. Have a look at John Lonsadale's plant here:-
http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_en-GBGB353GB353&q=Iris+histrio+ssp+aintabensis
-
A very long link to his Iris histrio web site
http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/Plants_album/The%20Plants%20-%20%20Complete%20Collection/Iridaceae/Iris/Subgen%20Hermodactyloides/I.%20histrio/index.html (http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/Plants_album/The%20Plants%20-%20%20Complete%20Collection/Iridaceae/Iris/Subgen%20Hermodactyloides/I.%20histrio/index.html)
-
Mark's William looks a very pure white which mine isn't and Natasha is more of a bluey-white. I remember seeing one called Caucasica?? somewhere but don't have it to compare.
Gail, you are probably thinking of Iris White Caucasus. There is reference to it in the thread started by Wim de Goede "Kwekerij De Schullhorn" reply 18; and also in one of Alan McMurtrie's articles, see http://www.reticulatas.com/Documents/Canadian%20Reticulata%20Iris.pdf
-
Thank you both - I think it's another one to be demoted to Iris 'misnamed'!
Mark - one of my ducks lays beige eggs and the other a dirty white. I used to have Araucana chickens, they really do lay eggs that are 'duck egg blue'.
-
Thanks Maggie, its good to be among other retic enthusiasts, I will post pictures as soon as I sort out how, I like Marks white "histrio" very much whatever it is! I think his picture of "Edward" is actually "Harmony" the other options for it would be "Alida" which is bigger, "Palm Springs" which I have read is a sport from "George"(a cross of histroides major), or "Pixie". I think "Pixie" is a sport of "Harmony". "Edward" is very like cantab but it has a deep purple tip to the fall.
-
now that has got me lost.
If only suppliers were reliable
-
Hey Mark, unravelling these little mysteries just adds to the fun :D
-
Mark,
sharp photos from your retics. ;)
Peter,
welcome to the forum. A good reference is a composite illustration from Simon (or Chris?).
'Edward' resembles 'Harmony' but 'Edward' has broader pedals.
Does anybody now the cross history of 'Edward'?
-
some new Iris this weekend,
Iris hyrcana
Iris reticulata from Almeh in NO-Iran
-
Dirk,
nice reticulatas. The later is a new purple Gem? 8)
-
Nice selection Dirk.
Welcome to the Forum Peter, once you get the hang of it posting pictures is very easy (if I can do it, anyone can).
As Armin pointed out thanks to Chris Greenwell (Hristo) we have a picture record of some (but perhaps not all of the Iris reticulata species and forms) but I would also like to see a written record, together with a picture perhaps, containing as much information as posssible about each species and form. I will start a new thread shortly and ask all who can to contribute information.
-
Good idea David. :)
-
Wonderful idea - I've been meaning to try something similar but was finding the idea daunting....
-
One of the few reticulatas that is happy here and spreads. Of course no known name, it came in a batch of Iris one autumn and was different than the rest. Any ideas or just a seedling? This and Harmony are doers. While this one resembles J.S. Dijt it is both larger and with slightly different markings, Dijt slowly peters out here.
johnw - +17c here.
-
Thanks David, Armin,
Dirk I like your hyrcana, I grow talish form which is much larger and I bought from Janis Ruksans some years ago, it is a good doer -often flowers before christmas, also a conventional small dark clone I bought from Mike smith seven or eight years ago.John I think your larger Digt is George which is a cross Histroides majour x J S Digt (Van Eeden). According to my cribb sheet, Gordon and Edward are also Van Eeden, Edward = (I reticulata x Bakeriana) type and Gordon is cantab x bakeriana. cantab appeard among Iris reticulata cyanea in Bowles garden at Myddleton House, Enfield.
I was at the east Lancs show today and there was a super pot of I winowgradowii, - never seen it crammed with flowers like that before. also a lovely dark purpley blue form of I reticulata.
I came back via the frame on my sisters allottment, I danfordiae is in flower (triploid). took a picture, it has been flowering for 8 years now ;D no feeding needed just 6 inches of gravel on top of it.
-
Former SRGC President, Peter Semple, showed this pot of Iris winogradowii today at the SRGC Show in Dunblane
-
Maggi, nice Iris winogradowii
here this species outside without leave and
Iris reticulata from Halkis Dagh in SE-Turkey
`` `` ,a very small form from Kuh-e-Savalon in Iran
-
Former SRGC President, Peter Semple, showed this pot of Iris winogradowii today at the SRGC Show in Dunblane
Hard to beat this one ::) ::)
-
Former SRGC President, Peter Semple, showed this pot of Iris winogradowii today at the SRGC Show in Dunblane
Hard to beat this one ::) ::)
It was very beautiful, Luc, though Peter himself admitted that it would look even better if the bulbs were spread out more to allow the individual charm of each flower to be better seen than in this rather overcrowded pot!
-
My Iris winogradowii with 6 flowers. Maybe its reaction after the long and cold winter ?
The secound picture from a few years ago shows the individual flower.
enjoying everything here, but this one needed a comment--really love that colour!
-
Mark, sharp photos from your retics. ;)
Thanks Armin.
-
I bought a pot of 'Joyce' a few weeks ago and there seems to be a cuckoo in the nest :o (picture is a bit bleached in the sunshine).
The Joyce seems to be identical to the Iris at the Garden House, Saxby, that was labelled as JS Dijt (Places to Visit thread).
-
Dirk, great to see your Halkis doing so well in the open garden.
Vivien, from the colouration, narrowed falls and well developed leaves your cuckoo looks
like Iris reticuata hort., it pops up quite regularly as other cultivars /
with other cultivars etc etc. The Saxby Iris, as you say, looks like Harmony, far too light
in this photo to be J.S.Dijit and missing the distinctive orange mark on the fall.
-
Thank you for that Maggi and i hope that it is just a regular feature. I agree with you about plants in the shows too.
Maggi is right, the main features to recognise virus are darker stripes on flower and/or mosaic on green leaves latyer in season.
Janis
-
I never showed these and they are now over due to high temperatures and wind
?Clairette
?Edward
?Spring Time
?William or is it Natasha?
At least CLAIRETTE is true, others I not remember so well, I grew them some 15-20 years ago.
Janis
-
.... none! Within a couple of years all were dead.
NATASHA is the weekest grower from all reticulata cultivars.
Janis
-
My 'Cantab' is flowering now - it is the same colour as 'Alida' but 'Alida' is more robust and has much wider petals. Cantab has the better fragrance. Second picture shows Cantab left and Alida right, sorry about the poor focus, I should have checked the photos before I pulled the flowers apart to pollinate them!
Also flowering one labelled I. histrio subsp. aintabensis. Flower is a 'Dulux white with a hint of grey' and small (8cm tall and 4.8cm across). Opinions?
I. histrio subsp. aintabensis not correct.
Janis
-
Maggi, nice Iris winogradowii
here this species outside without leave and
Iris reticulata from Halkis Dagh in SE-Turkey
`` `` ,a very small form from Kuh-e-Savalon in Iran
The form from form from Kuh-e-Savalon in Iran is marvellous!
Janis
-
I bought a pot of 'Joyce' a few weeks ago and there seems to be a cuckoo in the nest :o (picture is a bit bleached in the sunshine).
The Joyce seems to be identical to the Iris at the Garden House, Saxby, that was labelled as JS Dijt (Places to Visit thread).
[/quotE
On the first picture no one is JOYCE. Joyce has very rounded fall and yellow blotch, very similar to HARMONY, difference is in flower tube, but which - I don't remember more. Second - ?
Janis
-
Many thanks for useful comments Janis. I've been meaning to ask, what happened to the Iris winkleri you found? Is it growing okay for you?
-
Posting a picture of Katharine Hodgkin. These are not my plants. With the dark blue streaks they look like they are virused, are they? Thanks.
-
In my opinion, yes, heavily virussed. :'(
-
Here some of Alan McMurtrie hybrids of quite unusual colors, blooming now in my greenhouse.
Janis
-
Posting a picture of Katharine Hodgkin. These are not my plants. With the dark blue streaks they look like they are virused, are they? Thanks.
Yes, very heavy infection!
Janis
-
:o :o
Very nice retics, Janis. I like 98-OO-2 -06 and 98-GZ-3-03 the most but they are all stunning.
-
I agree with Wim... all so unusual and wonderful to see Janis - 98-OO-2 -06 is sumptuous!
-
Very nice indeed Janis. If I get any nearly as good as those from my Alan McMurtrie seed I'll be well pleased.
-
Maggi, Janis thanks.
I was looking at Alan McMurtrie web site, when does he start selling 2010 harvest seed, thought I might order a few? Thanks.
-
Maggi, Janis thanks.
I was looking at Alan McMurtrie web site, when does he start selling 2010 harvest seed, thought I might order a few? Thanks.
In following entry variability of Iris histrio (ARGI - plants from Syria, RUDA from Turkey).
Janis
-
Few other reticulata irises - hyrcana (Talish, Aserbaijan), kolpakowskiana form from Alma-Ata (Kazahstan) and zagrica (Iran).
Janis
-
Last entry with reticulata iris forms.
BARAKA - Georgia, near Tbilisi
WHIR - various localities from Iran
SASA, JRRK - Turkey
Janis
-
Last entry with reticulata iris forms.
BARAKA - Georgia, near Tbilisi
WHIR - various localities from Iran
SASA, JRRK - Turkey
Janis
Janis, such rich variation with those reticulatas... beautiful. The red one (Iris reticulata JRRK-069 -02.JPG) is striking. The other retic species are eye-catching beauties too, thanks for feasting our eyes.
-
Last for today - described by me I. reticulata subsp. kurdica
Janis
-
I'm having more palpitations ;D
-
I think I'll join you, David!
Janis, these are all so wonderful!!
-
I'm having more palpitations ;D
David, there are medications for palpitations. I hereby dub a new name for this type of floral eye-candy... "florno". We're being explosed to florno and becoming irrevocably addicted whether we realize it or not ;D :-X Iris kurdica appears so thin and seductive, certainly an Iris of the night.
-
Last for today - described by me I. reticulata subsp. kurdica
Janis
Sensational :)
-
Here so named winogradowii alba - really hybrid, may be with some winogradowii blood in it.
Few more of Alan McMurtries hybrids grown by me - there are some mix in one stock (more yellow)
Janis
-
the Reticulata-saison is over by me,
here my last: Iris histrioides from Soganli Gec in NE-Turkey
some weeks after I.histrioides`Major`
-
A nice end to the season though Dirk!!
-
the Reticulata-saison is over by me,
here my last: Iris histrioides from Soganli Gec in NE-Turkey
some weeks after I.histrioides`Major`
Excellent plant Dirk. We searched for histrioides during LST (Latvian-Swedish-Turkey expedition) trip, but didn't succeed.
Janis
-
This morning finally open garden beds became almost free from snow (see entry Crocuses in garden). And the first few Alan McMurtries hybrids grown outside started to flower. Not easy to walk between beds as undersoil still frosen and defrosted part very damp, so pictutred the nearest plants - cv. Blue Ice. As you can see, passes still full with snow. But bulbs are not eaten by rodents during winter!!! :D ;D :D
Janis
-
It amazing how quickly they come into flower as the snow recedes and the sudden colour against the earth is so exciting - they look wonderful Janis and It's great news to hear the rodents are at bay 8)
-
Today much more of Alan hybrids bloom in garden and I'm really surprised how far better they looks outside than in greenhouse. Pity, but it is safer in greenhouse, but when only my stocks allow I plant part of bulbs on open beds.
But this time two nice Iris reticulata - one from Armenia - typical color of that named as var, caucasivca. Thanks, Zhirair, for that.
The next is smallest in size but most bright in color Iris reticulata KMZ-9505 - I think from Iran, Hamadan, Kuh-e-Alvand.
Janis
-
Exquisite colours, though both so very different, and the markings on the tiny Iris reticulata KMZ-9505 in your photo are beautiful Janis.
-
Few more irises.
Iris kolpakowskiana from Alma-Ata with yellow blotch on ridge (no other types in this part found) - two color variants
Iris kolpakowskiana from surroundings of Tashkent with white blotch on ridge (no other types in this part found)
Iris kolpakowskiana grown from Jilek Seeds and reported that seeds collected in China, but Iris kolpakowskiana don't grow in China and isn't listed in Flora of China. Really many seeds offered by Jan Jilek are of wrongly named localities and seem that most are from cultivated plants.
The last is another stock of Iris reticulata subsp. kurdica.
Janis
-
Janis
Really like your kolpakowskiana, with a slight preference for the white blotch on ridge.
-
Janis
Really like your kolpakowskiana, with a slight preference for the white blotch on ridge.
I agree Art - they're lovely !
-
Few more hybrids from Alan McMurtrie - two purple with violet-metallic shine
white hybrid 'Avalanche'
and two reticulatas from wild - lilac from Turkey (standarts not fully developed, think it is seasonal)
and very beautiful very light sky blue of Iris reticulata from Armenia, found by Zhirair
Janis
-
On Thursday here was sunny, so picture of MvMurtries SEA GREEN from open garden. Yesterday started raining and it is still so. We got at present half of April ammount of water. So few pictures from greenhouse.
Iris reticulata from Turkey
Iris winogradowii
Iris kolpakowskiana from Kashka-Su in Khirghizstan and as last
3 pictures of my Iris pskemense from high mountains in mid-course of river Pskem in Uzbakistan.
Janis
-
Fascinating pictures again Janis, thank you for posting.
The 'Sea Green' is an interesting flower, presumably the 'whiskers' are modified standard petals?
I love the different Iris pskemense forms.
-
Janis , thank you for sharing with us splendid photos of so many different irises of the Reticulata section- always new ones for me to admire . How does I pskemense differ botanically from I. kolpakowskiana ?
Otto.
-
Janis , thank you for sharing with us splendid photos of so many different irises of the Reticulata section- always new ones for me to admire . How does I pskemense differ botanically from I. kolpakowskiana ?
Otto.
I. kolpakowskiana is foothill plant, pskemense from high altitudes ~3000 m. In this aspect it is close to winkleriana, but corm tunics are of kolpakowskiana type. Bulb color in kolpakowskiana usually yellow, in pskemense and winkleri whitish. Kolpakowskiana usually forms a lot of grains, pskemense very few or none, as winkleri it rarely split. Fall in winkleri and kolpakowskiana (in both subspecies) is purple without rim, in pskemense rimmed white. Standarts are of different shape, too.
Janis
-
All beautiful, but I. pskemense is my favourite in this little series ! Gorgeous !
-
I agree with Luc, just gorgeous!
-
I just like 'em all ;D
-
Janis,
It's a pleasure to see that light sky iris reticulata form blooming in your garden. I kept only a single small daughter bulb for me, but unfortunately it died the same year during winter due to overwatering the pot. Good to see it preserved.
-
The last of reticulatas blooming allways is Iris winkleri from very high altitudes (3000m) in Khirghizstan. Unfortunately not easy in garden although sometimes it set seeds at present I have only those two, differently colored flowering plants, crosspollinated just after taking pictures. Just recently I found the spots where it was collected and where was our tend on Google Earth. The distance in straight line is 26 km one way, but we walked through mountains, up and down and winding, so it means that during this day we (Arnis and I) covered at least 60 km distance from 2000 to 3500 m altitude and back to tend. A almost incredible distance for which we needed ~15 hours (starting at 5 o'clock in morning and finishing after 8 in evening, in full darkness).
Janis
-
Beautiful flower Janis. I was rereading Michael Hoog's comment on I. winkleri in The Plantsman (December 1980). He wrote that "The conditions of access at the period of flowering in this remote area are practically impossible. Only an expedition by air (helicopter) would allow one to relocate it in the mountains, as Dr Rodionenko recently told us." So well done you for finding it the old-fashioned way! (Although it would be good if the SRGC could invest in a forum helicopter to fly members out to visit such plants.....)
-
Beautiful flower Janis. I was rereading Michael Hoog's comment on I. winkleri in The Plantsman (December 1980). He wrote that "The conditions of access at the period of flowering in this remote area are practically impossible. Only an expedition by air (helicopter) would allow one to relocate it in the mountains, as Dr Rodionenko recently told us." So well done you for finding it the old-fashioned way! (Although it would be good if the SRGC could invest in a forum helicopter to fly members out to visit such plants.....)
I think it is the single locality visitable by foot. There long ago was military road still designed on Russian military maps with two lines, ditches on sides. We hoped to use this one by our hired car but at our visit from it remained only fragments, mostly it was washed away by Kugart's stream, landslides or covered by stoneslides. Of course it helped us much to go by car as close only possible although in several spots we stepped out of car, so unstable looked road. We put our tend at farest point, where road was completely washed away. But those further fragments helped us a lot. All other possible localities by map was reachable only by narrow foot or cattle passes and distance in one way was around 70-100 km.
Janis
-
Janis,
the second photo of I. winkleri is a stunner. 8)
It is certainly worth all the hard work and run sweat ;D
-
Is this Iris reticulata Harmony, Folk?
-
Is this Iris reticulata Harmony, Folk?
Harmony or Joyce - both very similar.
Janis
-
Three hybrids between Iris winogradowii and I. histrioides - all quite similar, but slightly different in shade, shape of falls, position of spots etc.
Most widespread is Katharine Hodgkin, unfortunately quite often virus infected
Similar are Sheila Ann Germaney and Frank Elder.
Janis
-
I believe Alan McMurtrie sends out his seed from August/September. From the very little correspondence I've had with him, I understand that he doesn't sell any of the seed which involves I. danfordiae but grows on all that, himself, or maybe he sells some to professionals such as Janis. What is distributed to the public (you and me) is open or bee pollinated seed and so much less likely to have any yellow, or greeny or brown shades in the seedlings. From the pictures shown here, those with small or no standards are all seedlings with some proportion of I. danfordiae in their breeding.
I just found this thread today. For some reason my notification process has failed. Now to explore the other iris threads for 2010. 8)
-
Hi Lesley,
Yes, the best way if you want ot 'repeat' Alans results will be to buy his recorded pod parent bee pollinated material, grow them to flowering size and cross onto fertile danfordiae. We now have several hundred seedlings from McMurtrie seed which represent the work he had undertaken upto the mid 1990's I think,we are now buying and bulking up ferile danfordiae ready to make these crosses in the hope of achieving some of those distinctive colours.
All good clean fun!!!
-
Hi Lesley,
Yes, the best way if you want ot 'repeat' Alans results will be to buy his recorded pod parent bee pollinated material, grow them to flowering size and cross onto fertile danfordiae. We now have several hundred seedlings from McMurtrie seed which represent the work he had undertaken upto the mid 1990's I think,we are now buying and bulking up ferile danfordiae ready to make these crosses in the hope of achieving some of those distinctive colours.
All good clean fun!!!
Many of Alan's named reticulatas are fertile, so I suppose that returning to danfordiae as one of parent would be step back. If I would be interested in breeding of new types - I would be trying to intercross his newest seedlings, but I'm too old and have too much to do with my priority plants.
Janis
-
True Janis, though there are financial implications for some of us when an unusual colour form costs 25 euros per bulb.
Taking that 'step back' allows for some quantity to play with. Current indications here are that there is
every chance of shaving a year or two off the germination to first flower period. Maybe 3 to 4 years instead of
the 5 years experienced by Alan. Current experience here also suggests that direct sowing of reticulata seed into the
open garden generates a much higher germination rate than pot sowing.
Would be great to here from anyone with experience of growing reticulatas from seed in Southern Europe.
-
True Janis, though there are financial implications for some of us when an unusual colour form costs 25 euros per bulb.
Taking that 'step back' allows for some quantity to play with. Current indications here are that there is
every chance of shaving a year or two off the germination to first flower period. Maybe 3 to 4 years instead of
the 5 years experienced by Alan. Current experience here also suggests that direct sowing of reticulata seed into the
open garden generates a much higher germination rate than pot sowing.
Would be great to here from anyone with experience of growing reticulatas from seed in Southern Europe.
Partly you are right Christo, but human life is too short. Long time ago, when I started to work with daffodil breeding (it was during soviet regime) I found possibilities to buy newest daffodil varieties for 100 and even (once) 200,- pounds each. But they were last word in breeding, and later some of my crosses were on top, too. Just recently one bulb of one of my daffodil varieties in USA was sold for 200 USD. I'm not more growing daffodils for several years, but it is nice to read about this. If then I would be working with old material available in USSR - it would never happen. You well know that price mostly depends from number of bulbs available and plant qualities. Offering nice variety where stock still is very limited at low price it would be sold out in first days.
Janis
-
Crossing with or onto fertile danfordiae is problematic here as it isn't in the country, or I very much doubt it,. On the other hand, it could be imported as seed, if available. ???
Just occasionally, I wish I were 20 years old again. Not only would there be time to do things on a long-term basis but just about everything was allowed into NZ way back then.
The little seed I've had from McMurtrie (via a Cornish supplier back in 2002,) took just 3 years to flower from sowing.
-
Janis,
I agree, I actually think 25 euros is a fair price when the work and rarity is considered, I just can't afford it!
Maybe in a few years time I wil be able to afford to buy some of the newer cultivars and introduce them into a breeding
programme.
Lesley, great to hear that you have had seed to flower in three years, growth in this years seedlings is very strong so
maybe.......
-
The ones which are going to flower come though with the bud first and just a suggestion of leaf but this elongates as the flower develops. Here are two. The ones that come through as leaf first, don't flower until following year.
-
Two lovely forms, what sort of % germination rate did you achieve?
-
congratulations Lesley
-
In the case of the pale blue, just 3 of 24 seeds and the second two flowered the following year, a light blue, not so close to white as this one. In the other case, the one with rain on, 15 of 25 germinated, just 3 the first year then a few more over the next two years. Eight flowered this last spring, much the same but a couple bluer and a couple closer to purple. All lovely though and very fragrant. Two made seed pods on their first flowering. Those are sown but not yet up.
-
In the case of the pale blue, just 3 of 24 seeds and the second two flowered the following year, a light blue, not so close to white as this one. In the other case, the one with rain on, 15 of 25 germinated, just 3 the first year then a few more over the next two years. Eight flowered this last spring, much the same but a couple bluer and a couple closer to purple. All lovely though and very fragrant. Two made seed pods on their first flowering. Those are sown but not yet up.
Both are very nice, but they are of pure "reticulata" type without "blood" of danfordiae
-
Lesley,are you planning to make the cross with danfordiae?
-
Yes Janis, I realized this. It was some seed available a few years ago from a man in Cornwall, UK (Tim Loe). Alan himself seems not to wish to distribute seed with danfordiae blood.
Chris I would dearly love to make that cross but the very few danfordiae we have here are the non fertile commercial clone imported from Holland and I don't believe the wild, fertile plant is here at all. If we could get seed of it, we would be permitted to import it but who lists it?
-
Jim & Jenny Archibald offer it Lesley.
-
Chris,
I have worked with some of Alans seed and the germination rate is extremely low. Alan warned me and it was worse that even that. I would put it at 10% max. Interestingly, seed I received from Alan didn't germinate at all, but some of his seed through a seed ex did quite well. Go figure! I suspect I have another 3 years until bloom, but that's the way it is.
-
Jamie,
We got 1000 seeds from Alan,after the first winter germination was 0% after the second winter maybe 20 germinations, this year germination rate from the original 1000 rose to 20% after the compost and seed was re-cycled into the open garden and raised habitat beds, not sure reticulata iris fits into a bed made for cushion plants but hey ho!
My advice, get ultra fresh seed and / or sow seed into a selected place in the open garden! Seed that fell from our own plants last spring germinated where it fell in large numbers this year.
-
I had seed Alan donated to the British Iris Society seed exchange, I have about seven bulbs from about twenty seeds, I germinated about fifteen of them in two winters but only about seven have made it to flowering size, and some of those not yet, the quickest were the reticulata armenian caucases, in three years, the retic hybred which flowerd this year has a sibling which did not manage to flower (five years from sowing), it has a rim round the edge of its falls like a watermark in addition to the signal patch, it is all in shades of purple but the zones are quite distinct
-
THanks Ashley. I haven't bought from them for quite a long time, but will send for a list. I believe Jim hasn't been well though.
-
Hi
This is the first reticulate iris that I have had, nice little plants that I think I may keep quite a few of, especially the named varieties.
-
very nice Kees, is this one Gordon?, here I am about to start repotting mine
-
My first 'Katharine Hodgkin' was out today. I'll do a pic when a few more are out. It's usually now quite so early as this. Spring is definitely on the way even though the temps and frosts have been quite severe this last week or so.
-
Heavens, retic season again down south! Looking forward to more of your pics Lesley and Kees.
-
My own retics have not really come through yet but the new ones which are garden centre packs and certainly imported, from Holland, are well up. Buds not coloured yet but won't be long. No sign at all of I. danfordiae (from the Dutch source) and the bulbs were so poor I'd be very surprised if any single one has lived. Time will tell. :( After I bought them and got them home for a decent look out of their packs, I returned quite a lot and to their credit, the garden centre refunded immediately and promised me they would contact the wholesale supplier and complain of the quality.
-
Yes that was Gordon, my first Harmony flowered today.
I know the source Lesley, I was about to purchase some of the yellows but was told they had all been sent back to supplier. I was gutted but maybe it was for the best, the ones I was really after were the yellows and Katharine Hodgkin. Hopefully next year.
-
I replaced my Iris danfordiae (Dutch stock) last year as the previous batch had disappeared. Got two flowers from 15 bulbs and I looked the other day and all had disappeared too. Not going to bother this year!
-
Yep, we're all buying from the same original supplier I suspect. >:(
Kees, I'll have a 'Katharine Hodgkin' for you later in the year when they die down. Summer I guess. I've never seen this or histrioides, winogragowii or other hybs between these at garden centres in NZ, they're available occasionally at the NZAGS show or more likely, from a salestable or tiny nursery somewhere. Best to ask, everywhere you go.
-
Lifted some retics here and they were ok ( beofre last 4 weeks of sumer rain! ), not sure yet about danfordiae!? ??? Hopes are not high.....
-
Thanks Lesley.
And I will keep an eye out in Christchurch at the sale if I manage to get there.
-
I think my 'Katharine Hodgkin' has finally gone to the great garden in the sky. :'( :'( I checked for it today and couldn't find any sign of it unfortunately. Such a shame.
-
Here are my first George with Gordon and cantab
-
Kees can you post a pic of 'George' please, on its own? I'm not quite sure about yours as it should, as I recall, have a prominent orange stripe on the fall and the leaves should be ALMOST (not quite) invisible at beginning of flowering. I'd like to see the whole plant, side on. Where did you get it?
-
This is a picture of a stray bulb of "George" taken 6 months ago
-
Yes, that looks more like him as I remember. I've lost mine though may have a few babies somewhere, not flowered yet. I thought I had a whole potful last year but they flowered as winogradowii. Kees, yours could be 'Pauline.'
-
I believe you are correct Lesley, definately looks like Pauline, it has a slight yellow more lemon colour hidden but definately lacks the yellow and looks like Pauline in the picture that was posted a while back with all the named hybrids.
I got them in a mixed bag from "the supplier" hoping there may have been a yellow there, happy with what ever I get, they are all so nice. :)
-
I just loose mine they don't flower as winogradowii for me :(
-
Well there was no metamorphosis David. I had several pots of tiny babies which had fallen from the large bulbs when I lifted some to pot for sale. The tinies do grow to flowering in 2 or 3 years so every one is precious. But, as frequently happens here, I hadn't put labels in the pots of tinies, only in the large bulbs.
-
This picture is of Iris danfordiae triploid (dutch) taken this spring. bought 10 years ago, grown and flowerd for three years in a clay long tom 14 inches tall, they were put in the bottom of the pot in a mix half JI 3 half grit with extra fertilizer, The top half of the pot was pure 10 mm gravel. for the past 7 years they have been growing in a raised bed coverd with deep gravel. they were uncoverd last summer - the wettest on record
-
The books always say plant them deep Peter and it looks as though you have the proof that it works. I shall try some in a deep clay pot.
-
I found a single danfordiae yesterday, neglected in a long tom from last year (all I planted this year have not come through). Mine is the Dutch triploid too. Surprisingly, the others in the pot are through and apparently OK even though not flowering. I'll post a pic later today (when I've weeded the pot ::))
-
Here in Tauranga my first Iris reticulata Cantab, Gordon flowering, and JS Dijt which I am not sure of ID.
Lesley is that correct name? Anyone else with the proper ID?
Could someone post a pic of JS Dijt please? Thanks.
-
Hi Bill
That also looks like my JS Dijt, will try to get a pic of it, appears very rounded compared to the others.
Hope you have a good miniature narcissus season Bill, I will be looking at getting some more miniature cyclamineus ones next season if available.
-
Very nice Bill.
Here's my offerings from the garden this afternoon.
George.
Katharine hodgkin.
Pauline.
Cheers Dave.
-
sorry bill -its not JS Dijt which is a spindly purple form of I reticulata, yours is a hybred I think it is pixie but I need to check to be sure.
-
Heavens, retic season again down south! Looking forward to more of your pics Lesley and Kees.
Yes Chris the retic season has well and truly arrived. Cantab, one of the first to flower
-
Somewhere on the Forum there is a great retic ID sheet by Hristo, though I cannot find it now, but I found the pic lurking in a file....
It's a little wider than usual.....
-
Somewhere on the Forum there is a great retic ID sheet by Hristo, though I cannot find it now, but I found the pic lurking in a file....
It's a little wider than usual.....
Aaccording to the retic ID sheet, our so called JS Dijt retic in # 385 looks very much like Harmony.
Does the forum agree or not? Thanks Maggi for digging up the ID sheet.
-
I agree that your 'JS Dijt' is probably 'Harmony' or perhaps (less likely) 'Joyce, 'which is basically the same except the signal stripe ages quickly from orange on opening to yellow in 'Harmony,' staying orange in 'Joyce.' We have never had 'Pixie' as such, in NZ. However, I'd bet my last dollar that all these have come in from Holland and been repacked here by two wholesale firms, so it's possible 'Pixie' has come in wrongly named as something else. Heaven knows several others have come in wrongly named. I imagine 'Pixie' is still relatively uncommon though, compared to 'Harmony' so probably, it's 'Harmony.' 'Harmony is wider than other straight retics because most of those are selected forms of the species whereas 'Harmony' (and 'Joyce') are hybrids between reticulata and histrioides 'Major.'
Dave, your 'Pauline' is wrongly named too. Not sure what it is, but it looks quite close to I. bakeriana so probably a hybrid of it. Looks too dark to be 'Clairette' or 'Springtime though.' :-\ If you look very carefully you should be able to count more than 4 sides to the leaves, probably 5-7.
-
Dave, your 'Pauline' is wrongly named too. Not sure what it is, but it looks quite close to I. bakeriana so probably a hybrid of it. Looks too dark to be 'Clairette' or 'Springtime though.' :-\ If you look very carefully you should be able to count more than 4 sides to the leaves, probably 5-7.
Hello Lesley -- was purchased last year as Pauline ::)--Had a look at the leaves and yes it has 7 sides .
What ever it is it's a beauty :-* :-* :-*
Enough from me --- another cracker of a day and i need to continue erecting a shade house i was given last week.
Cheers dave.
-
I agree that your 'JS Dijt' is probably 'Harmony' or perhaps (less likely) 'Joyce, 'which is basically the same except the signal stripe ages quickly from orange on opening to yellow in 'Harmony,' staying orange in 'Joyce.' We have never had 'Pixie' as such, in NZ. However, I'd bet my last dollar that all these have come in from Holland and been repacked here by two wholesale firms, so it's possible 'Pixie' has come in wrongly named as something else. Heaven knows several others have come in wrongly named. I imagine 'Pixie' is still relatively uncommon though, compared to 'Harmony' so probably, it's 'Harmony.' 'Harmony is wider than other straight retics because most of those are selected forms of the species whereas 'Harmony' (and 'Joyce') are hybrids between reticulata and histrioides 'Major.'
You could be right Lesley, about wrongly named varieties, I know both wholesalers as well, and will contact them to remind them of supplying wrongly named bulbs.
Anyway, will let you know, to see when Pixie start flowering shortly, wheather this variety has been screwed up as well.
-
:-XThe varieties are all mixed up here too ::) :-\ ::)
you can buy a pot in a garden centre with 3 varieties in,
and the lable will be a 4th --confusing but great value ;D ;D
-
Here is my one and only flower on Iris danfordiae this year. But the leaves are there for the other bulbs so when they die down I'll put them in the garden, deep, deep down and with a heap of high potash fertilizer.
[attachthumb=1]
Then a reasonable pot (new bulbs) of 'Gordon'
[attachthumb=2]
Today while cleaning up dead pots I found some others in full bud, bought for last year's flowering. As we've mentioned before in this thread, many seem not to come up a second time, if imported from Holland, as these were. However, 'Harmony,' 'Pauline' and Natascha' are doing really well and seem to have all bulbs present. I'll do pics when they're out.
-
Looks wonderful with those leaves on the ground Lesley :) Plenty of promise in your pot :D
-
Thanks for showing the retics from down under everyone - after all, it's been already six months since we saw ours up here ! ;D ;D
-
It's good to have TWO seasons of nice things, isn't it Luc? ;D
Robin, all those leaves are a bit of a pain really with I. danfordiae. Instead of their getting bigger and stronger and flowering next year, with this species they tend to become even smaller - I had some come up as fine as darning needles once, after about 3 years of non-flowering - and never flower again. It seems the secret is very deep planting and plenty high potash fertilizer so that's where I'll go next time. The bulbs tend to split into ever smaller bulblets.
-
about to replant mine Luc :-\ lots of work
-
Hi
Here are a couple more pics, The cantab from the garden has only just bloomed while the others have already finished.
Natascha has 2 blooms today.
-
The first of the "retics" opened on the weekend!
Unfortunately someone got to "George" before I could get a good pic >:(
[attachthumb=1]
But "Harmony" fared much better,
[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]
cheers
fermi
-
Who was the culprit Fermi?
'Harmony' is probably the most reliable of all the retics. After two or three years, like here (?) when it's had a while to clump up nicely, it's really very good indeed.
-
As promised here is a pic of retic.Pixie, looks a bit like Harmony, but the colour is more of a royal blue flowers with a glossy purple lip marked orange and white.
I think this is the real Pixie imho and according to the Reticulata ID sheet.
-
Bill , your I. ret. 'Pixie' is what I grow as 'Pixie' too.
Otto.
-
It's a beauty Bill. I've not seen it down this way.
Here is 'Sheila Ann Germaney', same parentage as 'Katharine Hodgkin,' histrioides 'Major' x danfordiae.
[attachthumb=1]
-
Hello Lesley,
Sheila Anne germany is the best of these for me, it has a clear blue apearance rather than the muddy green hue of K Hodgekin and Frank Elder, but I believe their parentage is actually thought to be Iris winowgradowii x histroides Major and not danfordiae ::)
It's a beauty Bill. I've not seen it down this way.
Here is 'Sheila Ann Germaney', same parentage as 'Katharine Hodgkin,' histrioides 'Major' x danfordiae.
(Attachment Link)
-
I think I've got myself muddled Peter. I thought E B Anderson (Dad to KH) said it was hist x wino but then it was shown to be hist x danford. However, could well be quite the other way around. ::) ::) ::)
-
Some don't like KH and call her colouring "bilious" but I like it very much tho' I like SAG better.
-
I think I've got myself muddled Peter. I thought E B Anderson (Dad to KH) said it was hist x wino but then it was shown to be hist x danford. However, could well be quite the other way around. ::) ::) ::)
Exactly! ;D
Here is Iris "Alida" which I got last year but it only produced 2/3 of a flower - much better this year.
[attachthumb=1]
IIRC this is a paler sport of "Harmony".
cheers
fermi
-
I should have paid more attention to the picture file name - hist major x winogradowii. :-[
'Alida' is lovely. Another we don't have.
-
I should have paid more attention to the picture file name - hist major x winogradowii. :-[
'Alida' is lovely. Another we don't have.
You'll just have to wait till you get a similar sport from "Harmony"! ;D
Poor "George" looked a bit frosty this morning:
[attachthumb=1]
cheers
fermi
-
He may have been cold, but George does look great on this one Fermi ! ;D
-
How many degrees of frost was that Fermi? I didn't realize you got much frost at all.
I've never had a sport on any retic iris, unless you mean those things that look like clovers and nettles. ???
-
I think I've got myself muddled Peter. I thought E B Anderson (Dad to KH) said it was hist x wino but then it was shown to be hist x danford. However, could well be quite the other way around. ::) ::) ::)
I think it is, -all the hybreds I know of involving danfordiae have wispy stands or none at all ;)
-
How many degrees of frost was that Fermi? I didn't realize you got much frost at all.
I've never had a sport on any retic iris, unless you mean those things that look like clovers and nettles. ???
That was just a mild -2.2oC according to the local weather station.
I have no idea what you mean by sports "like clovers and nettles"!
"Alida" is suppose to be a sport of "Harmony".
cheers
fermi
-
I know that, you pillock, it was a feeble attempt at a joke, as in all that's coming up around my retics are nettles, clovers and other such weeds, with the very damp weather we're having. ::)
-
"Pixie" has just opened in our rock garden!
[attachthumb=1]
[attachthumb=2]
And "Alida" is making more of a show
[attachthumb=4]
And after a break of a couple of years, Iris histrio ssp aintabensis MT4501 has decided to flower again!
[attachthumb=3]
cheers
fermi
-
And after a break of a couple of years, Iris histrio ssp aintabensis MT4501 has decided to flower again!
Well worth waiting for such a lovely Retic, Fermi, why didn't it flower last year do you think?
-
'Alida' and 'Pixie' are really lovely. I hope they come our way reasonably soon.
'Natascha' is out at last - terribly weedy but I'm getting there. The weather has been so wet for so long. These are last year's bulbs still in the same pot. Those I planted this year, in the garden have just a couple of flowers.
[attachthumb=1]
-
And after a break of a couple of years, Iris histrio ssp aintabensis MT4501 has decided to flower again!
Well worth waiting for such a lovely Retic, Fermi, why didn't it flower last year do you think?
Hi Robin,
as you can see it is a bit crowded (by a rather prolific Tulipa clusiana) so I think I need to move it somewhere it won't have so much competition for food and water.
Lesley,
I'm sure Marcus has "Pixie" on his list - That potful of "Natasha" looks very good (weeds? what weeds?) ;D I've only just got some bulbs of her and look forward to them making a show like that eventually.
cheers
fermi
-
Lesley,
I'm sure Marcus has "Pixie" on his list - fermi
Unfortunately, we can't bring in irises, even dormant bulbs. They have to go through the full quarantine bit, plus permit to import etc etc. Thousands of dollars involved over the whole process. B....y ridiculous, especially when we could import clean bulbs from someone like Marcus, yet the wholesalers are allowed to bring in retics from designated Dutch firms, under some special arrangement and as everyone knows, most of the Dutch stock is virused. Makes you weep. :'(
-
Otto brought this little cherub to our meeting last week at Ferny Creek Hort Society,
Iris kolpakowskiana grown from seed!
[attachthumb=1]
[attachthumb=2]
Well done, Otto!
cheers
fermi
-
You bet ! It's a beauty !
-
Otto and Fermi,
What a stunning little iris
-
Otto, congratulations for growing this very beautiful plant!
-
Very well done Otto
-
It really has such character, congratulations on its first flowering from seed :D
-
Well done indeed Otto. I suppose it won't last another week? :'(
-
yes well done! I hope you can get seed for another generation and secure its cultivation in Australia:D
-
I ordered the following George, Alida, Cantab, Harmony, J. S. Dijt, Joyce, Pauline and Pixie. What I am wondering is can I use straight leaf compost/worm castings or does sand need to be mixed in? These will be all planted in the ground. Thanks for info.
-
I'd be inclined to work in a quantity of sand/grit for drainage purposes, on general principle. The mixture you suggest seems quite rich. maybe add some low nitrogen/high potash fertilizer too, to encourage future flowering. Mine are all in the ground rather than in pots.
Yesterday while weeding, I was delighted to discover half a dozen seed pods developing well, on 'Cantab.'
-
Lesley thanks.
Planted them today, added sand and perlite to the leaf compost.
-
You're lucky to get 10s in your packets Guff, we only get 5s.
-
You're lucky to get 10s in your packets Guff, we only get 5s.
At $3 to $8 each, we only buy in ones or threes!
cheers
fermi
-
Why so much per bulb?
Iris histrioides George was the most at $4.40 for 10 bulbs. The others were either $3.80 or $3.90 for 10.
-
It is probably because our respective (NZ and Aus) supplies are so low. In NZ there are no local sources of home brown bulbs and in Aus, probably only MH in Tasmania so they're all a bit expensive. Our comparatively cheap ones ($4.99 or $5.99 for pack of 5) are imported in bulk from Holland and packeted here but after chilling or 6 months before they're on sale, success rates are far from 100% and sometimes nil% at all. At least in Aus, Marcus's bulbs are likely to survive, not being from the other hemisphere.
A local (Central Otago) source gave us some hope a couple of years ago but those who bought some found they were infested with ink disease.
-
Hi Guff,
yes, as Lesley said,we don't get the cheap mass produced bulbs from Holland and smaller growers here don't have a lot of "margin" to play with.
One grower in Central Victoia has been able to grow Retics quite well and his prices are more reasonable - unfortunately it's only a side-line for him and he sells at markets and not by mail-order.
cheers
fermi
-
It is probably because our respective (NZ and Aus) supplies are so low. In NZ there are no local sources of home brown bulbs and in Aus, probably only MH in Tasmania so they're all a bit expensive. Our comparatively cheap ones ($4.99 or $5.99 for pack of 5) are imported in bulk from Holland and packeted here but after chilling or 6 months before they're on sale, success rates are far from 100% and sometimes nil% at all. At least in Aus, Marcus's bulbs are likely to survive, not being from the other hemisphere.
A local (Central Otago) source gave us some hope a couple of years ago but those who bought some found they were infested with ink disease.
The Ink Spot desiese is a pain, I think it is brought on by stressing the bulbs with drought before they are properly dormant- does anyone else have views on this?
I find that bulbils (not offsetts) can be detatched and grown on to produce clean stock and I do this regularly to ensure fresh bulbs of my retics in case a pot full goes down with Ink Spot. I also dust the bulbs with fungicide, and dolomitic lime except for winowgradowii and its children.
-
Could someone post a picture of Ink Spot on the bulbs. I recall seeing black colored marks on some of my bulbs.
What does Ink Spot do?
-
Been looking for a photo of a bulb with Inkspot but can't find one ..... a search online didn't get me very far, either.
The problem is caused by a fungal infection which will debilitate and finally kill the bulbs.
This may help....
Ink spot
(Drechslera iridis)
Dark reddish brown elongated spots with chlorotic margins. Older leaves develop gray centers. Dark spore masses may be visible on lesions. Usually older leaves are infected. Irregular inky-black stains occur on Iris reticulata bulbs. Disease may be severe on plants undug for 2 years.
Disease is favored by mild (68° to 77°F), moist conditions. Fungus survives on infected bulbs and debris.
Dig bulbs every year. Remove and destroy all debris; rotate on a 3-year basis.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r280111911.html
Photo of infected leaves on a larger Iris......
http://garden-photos-com.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=20&_bqH=eJwzTS1LCnUJLkn3dK6KsgwLcM1zC89OzTY0yE.2MjewMjQAYyDpGe8S7GybWZRZrAZmxjv6udiWANmhwa5B8Z4utqEgZUVRkaWBbnkRScauavGOziG2xamJRckZAD_0HzU-&GI_ID=
-
I think this picture is of a Pogon leaf Maggie, I have seen bacterial rot on bulbous Iris and Evansias also on other beardless sections but I was not aware that Ink spot crossed within groups of Iris.
For those who do not know - on an infected reticulata bulb there will be black sclerota (scabs)on the outer layers of the bulb tunics. They may be the size of a small pin head upwards and can often be flicked off with a fingernail. Any bulbs with these black scabs or black leisions should be destroyed unless being planted in the hope of producing bulbils. Keep the pot far from other retics! This can be successful and the bulbils seem to be healthy, the infected parent bulb is usually only a husk the following year.
I do associate the onset of the condition in reticulatas with premature yellowing of the leaves - sometimes before they are fully grown, followed by patchy withering and going grey and now I think about it I have seen black specs on such leaves.
In my experiance this happens more to bulbs under glass where growth is interupted by drought.
For this reason I use leafmould or peat in my compost for reticulatas. I have better results with a more moisture retentive mix.
To make the point- I have never grown I winowgradowii under glass and I pot it in 75% leafmould, It also grows amoung trilliums. I have never seen Ink spot on its bulbs
-
That sounds like very good advice Peter. Now I come to think about it, I have seen tiny black specks on retic leaves, among potted plants - never in the garden - and those I'm pretty sure, on reflection, are the ones which don't do well or even don't do at all, the following year. Maybe we have more of this about that I ever dreamed of. I'll be looking very carefully from now on. One thing though, if the small black specks can be flicked off with a fingernail, it would be very smart NOT to do that, or to do it in a controlled environment where the scabs can'r be spread about.
-
Thanks Peter for that advice. I am new to these Irises and any information that I can have will be a great benefit to me. I have mine in pots so I shall add leafmould in the next repotting.
For winter do I cut back the leaves or will they die right back. :-\
Angie :)
-
No Angie, don't cut back the leaves - or on any bulbs. They do look a bit untidy but they feed the bulbs and build them up for next year's flowering. They'll die away soon enough. When they do, and can be wiped away by hand, fill the holes they came from by lightly forking over the soil. Stops rain from concentrating on the bulbs and stops creepies from delving down to find comfortable homes.
-
Thanks Lesley for the advice. Some of the leaves had started to die back but today I noticed new leaves starting to appear at the base of the plants. Hopefully I will get a good display next year, well I hope so anyway.
Angie :)
-
Iris vartanii is the first Iris to flower in Israel (November-December).
Unlike other reticulatas, it does not require much cold in order to flower.
Here are some pics from my garden. Unfortunately, this year we have horrible weather here- hot and no rain!
So, in nature almost everything is still dry :'(
-
Alaways happy to see the reemergence of this reticulate iris :) :). This year it is very early, yet others treated in exactly the same way show no sign of growth.
Please excuse poor quality of second photo
-
Nice species Miriam,
but what a pity regarding the weather >:(
-
Always happy to see the reemergence of this reticulate iris. This year it is very early, yet others treated in exactly the same way show no sign of growth.
Yery nice but not everybody will be able to guess what it is !!
-
Always happy to see the reemergence of this reticulate iris. This year it is very early, yet others treated in exactly the same way show no sign of growth.
Yery nice but not everybody will be able to guess what it is !!
Uh?
-
Art you haven't named the retic
-
I have not named it, because it is not a garden type and I have no idea if it has a species name - it is a reticulate iris.
I would greatly appreciate if someone is able to identify it further.
-
Lovely I. vartanii Myriam, really sky blue !
So is your retic Art ! Is it always that early ??? No noses showing here yet !!!
-
So is your retic Art ! Is it always that early ??? No noses showing here yet !!!
Luc
It has been early before, but not every year. None of my others in pots are up.
-
Reticulate but perhaps not reticulata, in that it is so early and has no sign at all of leaves as it blooms. The colouring is like bakeriana but that too has leaves at flower time and is not as early as this. I only know of I. histrioides that is so devoid of leaves as it flowers, but obviously not that. Perhaps a new species Arthur? ;D
-
Beautyful pictures and plants, Miriam!
Arthur very interesting reticulate Iris, hope someone will be able to give it an ID.
-
I did wonder if Arthur's plant could be Iris histrioides var sophenensis?
-
I'd say the standards are too big David.
-
Beautyful pictures and plants, Miriam!
Arthur very interesting reticulate Iris, hope someone will be able to give it an ID.
I went to the very best person - Brian Mathew.
This is what he said:
"This is the rather nice bicoloured form of Iris reticulata which grows down the western side of Iran, quite a vigorous plant in cultivation and has survived in cultivation - I think - from over 40 years ago when collected by Paul Furse, the BSBE trip and Jim Archibald.
A sub specie of Iris reticulata."
-
Iris vartanii is starting to flower now,
this one has a particular Lavander color rather then the usual grey bluish.
-
Superb picture Oron.
does it flower in the wild or did you water it in the garden ??
-
what a wonderful colour form Oron !
-
Superb picture Oron.
does it flower in the wild or did you water it in the garden ??
This one is growing in a friend's garden [which did'nt notice it's unusuall color] but mine have started to bloom as well a few days ago that is after the rain we had some ten days ago.
-
Great to see the irises from your area Oron. I look forward to more postings as the season progresses.
-
Another stunning picture Oron !
-
Iris vartanii is starting to flower now,
this one has a particular Lavander color rather then the usual grey bluish.
In one word - fantastic!
Janis
-
This is only the second Iris that I've grown - Katherine Hodgkin. Really hope that it clumps up now.
-
the last from my Reticulatas,
I.reticulata `White Caucasus`, young flowers pale blue, later white