Oncocyclus Iris - 2015

[Oron Peri]

Actually i got the idea from Miriam, it is really useful also to cover seed pods of other species,
any size of seeds remain inside.

[Hans A.]

Yes, great idea - the other way is to remove the falls - but you have to protect the flower alrady before. It does not look better...

[Oron Peri]

The advantage of these organza bags is that they come in all sizes. I put it on the bud a day or two before they open, they have enough space in it, than i take it of, pollinate the flowers and cover it again.

The biggest advantage is that i can enjoy the flowers with their falls...

[Hans A.]

  - as here only one species is flowering no protection is necessary.

[BULBISSIME]

Very nice form Hans !
here Iris paradoxa is blooming, and some other species will follow soon.

[Hans A.]

Wow Fred! Superb! And very early!

[Oron Peri]

Two of the beauties flowering today:

I. schelkownikowii starts blooming, it is only 10cm tall and grows surprisingly well here,
 and first I. nigricans for the season.

[Miriam]

Iris damascena has started to flower in my garden

[krisderaeymaeker]

Two of the beauties flowering today:
I. schelkownikowii starts blooming, it is only 10cm tall and grows surprisingly well here,
 and first I. nigricans for the season.

I like that I. schelkownikowii Oron  , so short  and compact ! Great to see them like that.
And the colour of nigricans is offcourse outstanding.   

[krisderaeymaeker]

Iris damascena has started to flower in my garden

Very nice Miriam , we only could wish they grow the same way here ....

[Jupiter]

Absolutely beautiful flowers guys and girls. Miriam your Iris damascena is superb. Fred, I love your I. paradoxa, what a brilliant display!

I'm gathering information about the oncocyclus group in a database for my own reference and not surprisingly I'm having trouble with the nomenclature. They seem to have been shuffled around a lot. My copy of A Guide to the Species Iris lists Iris schelkownikowii  under "other species" and doesn't give much information. It says it's close to acutiloba, but looking at your photographs you'd never pick it! The database of species on the SIGNA doesn't list it at all. Can anyone recommend any books or other references which cover the oncocyclus in more detail? My friend Peter Gras tells me that this forum is more informative than any book in existence and I suspect he might be right! No harm in asking though...

[Maggi Young]

I know diddly squat about iris books, I'm afraid , so I'm no help to you - though there will be others in the forum who can make good suggestions, I'm sure -  but just thinking about this put me in mind of the book that I think  is soon to be released by the AGS - about Meditterranean plants - by Oron Peri- bound to be quite a bit about oncos in there, I should think?  Oron will, I hope, be able to tell us more......?

[Jupiter]

Thanks Maggi, if it's true that a book on Mediterranean plants is being written I'll definitely add it to my Xmas wish list! That would be a very useful reference for us Adelaideans.
Otto cleared me up about I. schelkownikowii in our private correspondence.

For some reason I thought "diddly squat" was Australian slang! I don't know why I thought that. I reckon it'd sound better with a Scottish accent than an Aussie one. 

[Maggi Young]

The book which I think will be called  Bulbs of The Eastern Mediterranean (or of the Levant?) was due to be published last year  - I am sure I've seen comment somewhere from Oron about him seeing the draft cover but I can't remember where.

 I hope Oron will see this soon and give us an update !

[Jupiter]

Sounds terrific Maggi, I await that with bated breath. By the way I don't recommend A Guide to the Species Iris. It's disappointing and I feel slightly ripped off. I'm working my way through it so I'll reserve my final judgement until I've persued it more thoroughly.