Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Iris => Topic started by: David Nicholson on January 31, 2013, 07:49:26 PM
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A very welcome second flush of flowers on my Iris unguicularis. It has never flowered better than this year.
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It must like the rain David. :D ;D
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It must like the rain David. :D ;D
Many a true word................................... ;)
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Well, that's a good possibility here. ;D Regardless what it says in Mathew's 'The Iris' it also got a good mulch with composted farm manure last summer after the fencing contractor had walked all over it for two days.
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It just goes to prove that the plants don't read the books. ;D ;D ;D
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True Michael, very true 8) ;D
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I Get unsavory comments sometimes when I describe how I treat some of my plants and my propagation methods because it is contrary to what the books say. I only occasionally use the books for reference but seldom follow their methods as I have to adapt to suit my mild and wet climate.
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Which is the common sense thing to do Michael. How can anyone be so arrogant as to say only the books are right about everything? We all know plants don't read the books. Each to his/her own (conditions, time lines, tastes, whatever) I say. :D
David Iris unguicularis (in my experience) likes plenty water in winter/spring and only a good ripening in summer when the plant is in resting mode. People assume it must almost be baked to death. It ain't so.
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After several years first time Iris grant-duffii is in flower here. :D ;)
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A nice clump of Iris unguicularis 'Abington Purple' in the garden here today.
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OK Hans I want to know exactly how you got grant-duffii to flower. While my plant is dormant I can move it to the better position. Grown from seed more years ago than I care to check.
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I grant-duffii is very nice indeed. I'm sure it's in NZ nut haven't heard of a flowering plant. That's a very good form of Iris unguicularis John, rather like the clone in NZ named 'Purple Trinity' whose colour is much deeper and richer than the older forms and on a compact plant. I lost mine a few years back but hopefully it's still around.
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Iris lazica flowering today, a large clump which threatens to swamp neighbouring plants - spread some two feet in a couple of years.
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A nice clump of Iris unguicularis 'Abington Purple' in the garden here today.
I think that I am not the only Forumist to think this has been an exceedingly good year for Iris unguicularis. My I. lazica is also full of flowers for the first time since I split it (it got too big) a couple of years ago.
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After several years first time Iris grant-duffii is in flower here. :D ;)
WOW Hans stunning think,not one i have seen before.
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OK Hans I want to know exactly how you got grant-duffii to flower. While my plant is dormant I can move it to the better position. Grown from seed more years ago than I care to check.
Hi Pat, it is really a slow species, here it grows in full sun on heavy clay next to the drainage of my garden - in Winter it has a lot of water but is totally dry in summer. I feed it moderatly with fertilizers low in Nitrogen. So far only one plant is flowering with one flower - hope other will follow next year.
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Thanks Hans for your cultural tips for grant-duffii.
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Iris lusitanica (Spanish Iris) is in flower with beautiful yellow flower.
obviously I recieved it from Spain ;) Many thanks
You can see the horrible weather we have today...there is dust everywhere that has arrived from Egypt.
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It has indeed been a good (and long) season here for I.unguicularis.
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I agree JRC, I noticed a flower on mine yesterday and if others develop it will be the third flush of the season.
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Also a rather good show in Austria:
I. unguicularis cretica
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Iris cretensis. This plant just surprises me each year - one minute no sign of flowers and the next..................
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Heavens!!! Why won't mine do that? I have a grudging flower or maybe two, each year - if I'm lucky! >:(
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Lesley
I read that cutting the foliage in mid summer(here in July) encourages flowering the next year,but i never tried it myself as unfortunately i don't have the plant ;I grow only the tall unguicularis.
May be it is worth a try?
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Iris prismatica from the garden today, from seed sown September 2009 and flowering for the first time. Quite a raggedy clump and the pictures aren't very good, sorry.
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Iris prismatica from the garden today, from seed sown September 2009 and flowering for the first time. Quite a raggedy clump and the pictures aren't very good, sorry.
It looks like a beautiful white iris but I'm not sure that it's I. prismatica. Maybe a PCI?
Do you think it might set seed? ;D
cheers
fermi
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Thanks Fermi, I was not sure, indeed until I took the label out to photograph it today I'd thought it was innominata. The clump averages around 30cm in height and the flower stems just a little bit more than that. The seed was from the SRGC exchange 08/09-1998. If it sets seed I'll send them to you.
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Yes the foliage reminds me of innominata David, which is coming into flower here too, but any I've seen had more streaky falls :-\
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Thanks John, maybe I'll try that. I thought it was just that my (previous) garden wasn't hot enough for the rhizomes to get a good summer ripening but with all due respect, it was probably warmer and drier than both Ian's and maybe Pauli's too. Perhaps not the latter. I've heard that cutting the foliage back of I. unguicularis encourages a good flowering but it has always seemed to me to be counter-productive in that the plant needs its foliage for nutrition. I could never bring myself to cut back the leaves of reticulatas or of Narcissus vars, as some people do, because they deem them untidy.
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I have to agree re the Iris prismatica above. It isn't, sorry, definitely a PCI but not straight innominata, maybe a hybrid with tenax/douglasiana blood. Is there a little pinkness at the base of the leaves David? A sure sign of douglasiana in the strain. Whatever, it looks nice. Prismatica is a lovely thing if you can get the right plant and does have a lovely creamy-white form as well. It is upright with fine (ish), slightly glaucous foliage and loves a wet place. Both forms are grown here though I've not had seed on mine.
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Iris wattii. Pity the foliage looks so manky at flowering time.
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Iris bracteata (I think?) grown from seed (SRGC 08/9-1952) sown September 2009 and flowering for the first time.
A couple of Dutch Irises from the garden:-
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Another couple of Dutch Irises:-
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David, your bracteata could well be right, from the flower but have a good look at the stems and foliage. I quote Brian Mathew.
"This species is so called because of the short bract-like leaves all the way up the flower stems, usually tinged with purple-red or pinkish. The proper leaves are very thick and tough up to 1cm wide, which is rather broad for this group of irises, and the whole plant is usually 20-30cm in height. The bracts are held close together round the stem and ovary." There's more, then he describes the colour as "creamy or pale to medium yellow, veined with brown or reddish-purple lines, especially on the falls which have a slightly deeper yellow signal area in the centre. The style branches are relatively small compared with the larger, spreading falls."
The couple of times I've tried it from seed, I had tenax or something close, both times. Purple anyway. Yours must be a lot closer than what I had. I've recently joined the PC Iris Society and am expecting a first bulletin within days. :)
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My PCIs are beginning to flower.
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I have recently joined the Society for Pacific Coast Native Iris (SPCNI) an offshoot of the American Iris Society and though membership of that larger body is not required, it is encouraged. My first Almanac has arrived and it is full of interesting articles, notes and photographs - the coloured ones positively, hair-raisingly watering! - and for me it was fun to see that the Editor is a New Zealander! Even more exciting was the list of new members which as well as containing my own name, listed - guess who? In strictly alphabetical order, Michael Campbell, Brian Ellis, John Kitt, Arthur Nicholls. Perhaps there are other Forumists too or lurkers, so that this thread should soon show more pictures of PCIs as we grow from seed from the various lists as well as from SPCNI itself. Perhaps we should start a small Forum sub-group - if only we had time. D
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Iris wilsonii, I think...
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Could be! Is it fragrant; are the stems greyish/green and around 60-75 cm high?
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Could be! Is it fragrant; are the stems greyish/green and around 60-75 cm high?
Can't detect any fragrance but will try again if we get any sun! Stems green with a greyish/white tinge, 70 cm high.
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Iris versicolor var. kermesina and Iris 'Holden Clough'
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Can't detect any fragrance but will try again if we get any sun! Stems green with a greyish/white tinge, 70 cm high.
If Lesley pops in here Ralph she will confirm it.
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Iris setosa
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Dutch Iris 'Eye of the Tiger'
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An unusual Iris
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It looks akin to Iris chrysographes.
John B
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Iris, obtained as I. decora?
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Very beautiful Gail, and a lovely photograph.
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Looks correct Gail. By way of comparison here's mine from 2010 grown from seed that Lesley kindly sent me. I've since lost them.
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It looks akin to Iris chrysographes.
John B
Yes. Stem 40cm at flowering - check! Hollow stem - check! Clump forming - check! But I can't detect any scent.
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Yes. Stem 40cm at flowering - check! Hollow stem - check! Clump forming - check! But I can't detect any scent.
I've never been able to detect a scent from mine either Ralph.
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Looks correct Gail. By way of comparison here's mine from 2010 grown from seed that Lesley kindly sent me. I've since lost them.
Mine needs splitting/repotting so if you want a bit send me a PM.
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Iris, obtained as I. decora?
Gail, I would say that is Iris tectorum, not I decora! Here a pic of Iris tectorum
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Thanks Wim
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In reply to your PM Gail, and to Wim's note, yours is tectorum, definitely. It is one of a section often called "crested" irises and you can see the crest clearly in your picture. It's also known as Japanese (though it is Chinese) "roof" iris, as the Japanese sometimes grow it on their roofs, whether to bind the tiling or as some sort of protection from evil spirits or whatever, I don't know. The foliage is quite wide and tends to be lightly pleated.
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Thanks Lesley
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Another Iris to name if possible. It must have been grown from seed but I don't know where from. A really nice garden plant that flowers well every year.
Susan
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Another Iris to name if possible. It must have been grown from seed but I don't know where from. A really nice garden plant that flowers well every year.
Susan
Hi Susan,
It looks like Iris kerneriana
cheers
fermi
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Thanks Fermi,
Susan
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Iris foetidissima is a weed in my garden. The Iris spuria cultivars are coming into flower.
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You're lucky to do well with I. kerneriana Susan. My mother had beautiful clumps but I haven't been able to establish it at all, from the couple of plants I've been able to buy and three lots of seed now, from the exchanges, have all failed completely to germinate. I really like it but it is eluding me. As well as its habit of producing two flowers at once, (on the same stem, I mean, from the same spathe as I remember, but maybe not) rather tangled (typical of the Spuria group) it has noticeably twisted foliage. Maybe just a single twist but very distinctive. If yours seeds, please remember me. :-*
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Iris siberica 'Annemaria Troeger', which I obtained in last year's Plant Heritage plant swap.
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That's a very nice one.
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Hi Lesley,
I should have plenty of seed, the bumble bees seem to love it. There was still some seed left from last year on it but I have just sown it once I realised it was rare. Remind me later and I can send you some.
Susan
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Probably Iris 'Gerald Darby' (probably)
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Iris chrysographes
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A nice clump of an Iris spuria cultivar, probably 'Shelford Giant'.
The books say Iris foetidissima has insignificant flowers. I beg to differ; the variation in flower colour is fascinating.
Iris siberica 'Perfect Vision', another one from last year's Plant Heritage plant swap. Is it really meant to look like this? A rather muddled flower!
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Hi Lesley,
I should have plenty of seed, the bumble bees seem to love it. There was still some seed left from last year on it but I have just sown it once I realised it was rare. Remind me later and I can send you some.
Susan
Thanks very much Susan. Later would be when? Perhaps about July/August?
Aren't those black chrysographes forms so sumptuous? Like black velvet and very luxurious-looking. Fortunately they are good seeders because everyone seeing them in my various gardens has wanted some. :).
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John, I agree with you about Iris foetidissima. The flower variation is very attractive and in any case the seed pods as they open make it worth growing. I remember seeing photos of Constance Spry's winter creations using the iris stems with other red berries and red or gold wimter stems and things which many people would never consider as suitable for "cut flowers" or house decoration.
While we grow all the shades of I. foetidissima here, we are not allowed to bring in seeds because they are poisonous and their lovely colour is attractive to children - so the reasoning goes. We may bring in many iris species as seed, others not, because they're not here already and have not been assessed for potential environmental damage (!) but foetidissima and pseudocorus or any of its derivatives are specifically prohibited, the latter because its growth habit can clog waterways. This puts out of our reach the magnificent "eye shadow" forms which the Japanese have developed.
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The books say Iris foetidissima has insignificant flowers. I beg to differ; the variation in flower colour is fascinating....
Here are some yellowish variants.
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Iris siberica 'Perfect Vision', another one from last year's Plant Heritage plant swap. Is it really meant to look like this? A rather muddled flower!
Ah, no! This is what it is meant to look like.
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A nice clump of an Iris spuria cultivar, probably 'Shelford Giant'.
Is that one of the Shelfords near me, of which there is a Great and a Little?
The books say Iris foetidissima has insignificant flowers. I beg to differ; the variation in flower colour is fascinating.
Iris foetidissima is wonderfully tolerant of the dry conditions in my garden, even dry shade. To my mind it is crying-out for some breeding/selection to find one with flowers that are a bit larger and brighter than normal and John has not got very far to go with his selections.
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Is that one of the Shelfords near me, of which there is a Great and a Little?
Iris foetidissima is wonderfully tolerant of the dry conditions in my garden, even dry shade. To my mind it is crying-out for some breeding/selection to find one with flowers that are a bit larger and brighter than normal and John has not got very far to go with his selections.
I believe it is the Shelfords in Cambridgeshire.
My Iris foetidissima all came from seed collected on the North Downs in Kent, dry chalk. I'm on Weald clay, but dry and sunny. They self seed in every bit of shade in the garden, and seem to produce different flower variations every year.
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I know Iris spuria isn't a rock garden plant, but I like it. Here are a couple more cultivars. Can anyone name them?
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No idea Ralph but both very nice. The other was probably from the same nursery which worked at one stage some years ago with Eremurus. Some of those were named as 'Shelford Hybrids.' Do you know of nurseries in the area either present or past?
NZIS has quite a lot of varieties listed in their seed exchange this year (currently). Though they wouldn't come true, some good plants should eventuate. I'll try a few. I like the caramel-coloured ones. :)
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No idea Ralph but both very nice. The other was probably from the same nursery which worked at one stage some years ago with Eremurus. Some of those were named as 'Shelford Hybrids.' Do you know of nurseries in the area either present or past?
According to the AIS Iris Encyclopaedia, 'Shelford Giant' details are "(Sir Michael Foster, R. 1913) SPU. I. Ochroleuca x 'Spuria Aurea'."
Sir Michael Foster was a notable Iris breeder in Cambridgeshire: see http://www.hips-roots.com/articles/notable-foster.html (http://www.hips-roots.com/articles/notable-foster.html)
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Iris unguicularis (why did we have to change it from Iris stylosa!) is in flower now; The "common" mauve one is always lovely and the white has just started - but looks underfed in comparison! ;D
cheers
fermi
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Any iris is a good iris Fermi. Did I say that before? :-[ Bill in Tauranga has sent me several stunning species and included 'Starker's Pink' which I was given years ago but it turned out to be cretensis! and a NZ selection called I. u. 'Purple Trinity.' This has very rich purple, deeply coloured blooms and both are in bud so the camera will come out soon. ;D Seed is offered in the NZIS seedlist of another great form called 'City of Sails.' It refers of course to our biggest city, Auckland, better known at present by the rest of the country for the billions of taxpayer dollars the Govt is pouring into it for roading, rail, tunnels and G.. knows what, at the rest of the country's expense. We have a new petrol tax starting yesterday to help pay for it and more taxes added in July next year and the year after. That will be just the start. Next year is election year so after being parsimonious to the health and education systems in recent years, suddenly Auckland's traffic problems are the great priority. Oh yes, Christchurch gets a bit too.
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Pristine flowers Fermi 8)
Here they tend to get chewed in damp weather (which we hardly ever get of course).
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Another spuria cv., Iris spuria 'Cinnabar Red'
edit 15th July- see reply # 81, below
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Oh yes, that's another nice one, with that little touch of caramel or maybe ginger flavour. :)
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Back on the subject of Iris foetidissima, this one is almost white.
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Another spuria cv., Iris spuria 'Cinnabar Red'
Hmm, actually this is probably 'Cinnabar Red'.
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This Iris was flowering in my garden recently. It's ex Chen Yi, came under the name of Iris subdichotoma var., which it most certainly is not. After an e-mailconference with some Iris-guru's, they came to the conclusion that it is a new species which is very close to Iris milesii (sectie Lophiris). I just think it's a very nice flower for in humid semi-shade.
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This Iris was flowering in my garden recently. It's ex Chen Yi, came under the name of Iris subdichotoma var., which it most certainly is not. After an e-mailconference with some Iris-guru's, they came to the conclusion that it is a new species which is very close to Iris milesii (sectie Lophiris). I just think it's a very nice flower for in humid semi-shade.
Lovely! If it sets any seed........
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Lovely! If it sets any seed........
Hmmm, it has three seedpods for the moment, but they have been promised to said Guru's ;) Next year, Ralph!!
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Beautiful plant Wim!!! Would love to grow that one. It is very much like the one from India that some people want.
Aaron
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Beautiful plant Wim!!! Would love to grow that one. It is very much like the one from India that some people want.
Aaron
Yes it is, Aaron.
Do you mean the one from near the Yunnan border? The flower is more round on that one and it is VERY beautiful indeed.
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Oh Wim, it is indeed a lovely thing and next year if you have a little spare seed, you know where it should go. ;D
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Oh Wim, it is indeed a lovely thing and next year if you have a little spare seed, you know where it should go. ;D
I do ;) :)
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Here is Iris cretensis or as some would have it, I. unguicularis ssp cretensis. I think it prefers a hotter climate than that of south Otago for it to flower really freely but this is a nice bloom anyway.
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A late flowering Iris lacustris ....
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It IS late Kris. Mine's budding up already, on the other side of the world - rather earlier than usual.
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The first of the PCI have started here!
This is a near white one grown from seed sent by Diane W in Canada,
cheers
fermi
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A couple of Dutch iris, I think the blue is the one called 'Professor Blauw',
and another PCI, I think it's called Sahara Sands,
cheers
fermi
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Forgot to add this PCI 'Big Money'
cheers
fermi
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The modern PCs are looking more and more like the large and flashy flowers of the Louisianas, in their blooms at least, perhaps not in the foliage.
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Forgot to add this PCI 'Big Money'
We raised a number of seedlings from 'Big Money' - here are a couple in full bloom; I'm thinking of naming them the "Small Change" Group ;D
cheers
fermi
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Very nice indeed Fermi.
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As David says Fermi. They're the right money colour anyway. Seedlings from those could be interesting too, the next generation. Keep up the good work. ;D
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As David says Fermi. They're the right money colour anyway. Seedlings from those could be interesting too, the next generation. Keep up the good work. ;D
Hi Lesley,
I didn't sow any seed from last season, but I think I collected some to send to one of the Seedexes!
Here's another "lost label" Dutch Iris, it might be 'Apollo' but I can't be sure - they've been moved and the labels no longer correspond to the correct plants!
cheers
fermi
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First flowering of Iris xiphium from SRGC Seedex 2009 - collected by Rafa in Spain,
cheers
fermi
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Very nice Fermi.
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Yes, that is nice. I have maybe 50 as 2 year olds, seed sent by Rafa, or may have been by way of Anthony. Can't read the label now, but definitely I xiphium, also some I. serotina to look forward to.
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Possibly from the same collection as mine, Lesley, or the year after?
Here's a pic from this morning of the first two to open; I do like the two-tone effect with the darker uprights;
and one of my favourite Dutch iris, Acapulco
cheers
fermi
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The species itself definitely has something over the selected forms or hybrids but I have a few new ones this year having spurned them in the past. The first to flower will be 'Miss Saigon,' doing me proud with 5 stems from 5 bulbs. The other vars are less floriferous this first year. Will show when open.
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The species itself definitely has something over the selected forms or hybrids but I have a few new ones this year having spurned them in the past. The first to flower will be 'Miss Saigon,' doing me proud with 5 stems from 5 bulbs. The other vars are less floriferous this first year. Will show when open.
Lesley, you could always "quarantine" the hybrids in the "Cutting garden" ;D
Here's another couple of the seedling PCI,
cheers
fermi
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They're very good Fermi. I'm still waiting for mine to start. Quite a lot of buds, considering they're still in small pots. I'll have to have a major iris plant in the next few months.
I've been reading the NZIS Judges' Handbook over the last couple of days as I intend to sit the Judge's exam at Convention in Timaru, early November. I was a judge many years ago but back then there were almost no shows at all and no local iris breeding so I didn't keep up-to-date with things and let my qualification lapse. Very different now, with big iris shows all over the country and several breeders registering many new hybrids among the beardeds and especially among PCs. All need assessment before registering.
This was a preliminary to saying that the Judges' Handbook mentions that there is virus among modern Dutch hybrids (based originally on I. xiphium) and judges should look out for this on the show bench or when assessing plants in growth. It shows as paler coloured spotting, striping or streaking and is unsightly compared to the healthy plants. I noticed today that there is a little evidence of virus among my new varieties. I bought 8 different early in the year and will be disappointed if I have to dump many.
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Maybe you can set seed on them and raise your own hybrids?
This is what I received from a friend at FCHS as Iris filifolia though he wasn't convinced that it was true to name.
I might try crossing it with the I.xiphium!
cheers
fermi
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One of the first "water iris" - 'Holden Clough'
x 2
Iris orientalis which came up from seed from the neighbours' plant apparently - about 200m away!
x2
cheers
fermi
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Dutch Iris 'Thunderbolt' is in bloom again!
Still love it!
cheers
fermi
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The wetter than usual spring seems to be favouring the Louisiana Iris!
Here are the first two for the season, but I couldn't find any lables so your guess is as good as mine as to their identity!
cheers
fermi
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The first of the Siberian iris has opened,
a beautiful blue one (will eventually find its label!
cheers
fermi
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Another water iris - this one is a variegated Iris laevigata which I got from Paul T in September :D
cheers
fermi
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Some more from our garden:
Spuria iris Intensity
yellow Spuria
white Louisiana Iris hybrid
cheers
fermi
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Spuria Iris'Barleycorn' has a tremendously wide fall and is flowering well this year,
cheers
fermi
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A new one for us is Spuria Iris 'Clara Ellen'
(pics have been replaced and should now expand when clicked)
cheers
fermi
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My first Iris unguicularis flower of the season:-
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Very nice David. Your gastropods are obviously more sluggish than mine ;) ;D
Some fine spurias there Fermi. 'Clara Ellen' is certainly a looker & 'Intensity' is good too. At first glance that white Louisiana reminded me of a daylily :o
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Hi Ashley,
I scrolled up to check that I hadn't posted the wrong pic ;D then remembered that we don't have any white daylilies here!
Can you grow Spuria Iris where you are? I should get some seed in a couple of months.
The most recent Spuria to flower is Iris halophila, actually its second flowering as each year it produces one set of blooms on short stems then soon after another set on taller stems! The clump was originally one seedling so it's not due to two different plants flowering at different times and heights! I've posted pics in previous years to show the two-tiered effect, but this year only a couple of stems have bloomed - I probably need to divide the clump!
cheers
fermi
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... Can you grow Spuria Iris where you are? I should get some seed in a couple of months. ...
I don't know Fermi; 'sunny' and summer don't always go together here ;) ;D
However I'd certainly like to give them a go if you can a few seeds.
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Some nice iris there Fermi.
Here is one of my favourite Japanese iris, Rose Queen.I've put it's pollen onto Geisha Gown.
Regards
Paul R
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I've been away for a while, (hospital) and have a lot to catch up with but while I have a stem of it, can anyone tell me offhand, what is the iris species which has black or nearly black flower stems? I don't have it myself but yesterday saw an enormous clump in a fellow Forumist's garden, maybe 2 metres across and it was very tall, perhaps a metre? There were many dozens of stems and the leaves were quite wide, 2-3cms and bent over at the tops. I was thinking versicolor or virginica but my iris books don't agree. The flower stem I brought home has two shrivelled blooms, it was very hot in my car, but two more will be out soon and I'll photograph and post them. It is a magnificent plant and of course I didn't have my camera with me.
In the meantime, here is one of several seedlings which came to me as 'Roy Elliott' but all have been what I've previously grown as x Chrysofor (chrysographes x forrestii). They vary with more or less purple and yellow, each seedling a little different so I don't think a cultivar name is justified.
The second picture is of a seedling at the NZIS Convention, raised by Michael Midgley, and winner of the Society's Begg Shield, for a NZ bred iris. It is setosa crossed with one of the wider leaved species in the Sibirica group. A tall and very vigorous plant with dozens and dozens of stems, another superb plant.
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Could it be Iris 'Gerald Darby'?
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Could it be Iris 'Gerald Darby'?
Could be, Raplh, here's a pic of mine. Do you have a pic of the leaves?
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Could be, Raplh, here's a pic of mine. Do you have a pic of the leaves?
I'm afraid not, but there must be pictures online.
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I managed to find this picture of the foliage and flower buds of Iris 'Gerald Darby' which I posted in June 2010.
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Thankyou all, Ralph, Wim and Roma. I'm sure you're right and the one I'm now lusting after is 'Gerald Darby.' Judging from the flower pictures there almost seem to be two slightly different clones, one with narrower, less "full" flowers (Ralph's), and a fuller form (Wim's).The one I saw and have a picture of (now that it has come out on the kitchen window sill) is the narrower form while the fuller is pictured in the Kohlein Iris book. Either way, it's a stunning plant in a big clump.
Perhaps you can also name for me the ensata form below. I bought it in a garden centre while filling in time between salestable shifts a month ago. It is truly rich and sumptuous. There is one called 'Midnight Sun' I think but there are more then one with the deep blue ground colour and small gold arrows. I went back yesterday to see if they had more and different and they did, but all finished and their stems trimmed off except for one pure white which I bought. It is different from the white I have which has upright standards while this one will be flat when it comes out. I used to hate them, Now, I love them! (Not sure of that name. Maybe 'Star at Midnight?' or something like that. A bit confused at present.)
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Lesley,it may be ''Emperor''. Mine were knocked about yesterday with the 40c heat when this was taken.
Also a Gerald Darby, love the dark stem.
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what is the iris species which has black or nearly black flower stems? leaves were quite wide, 2-3cms ...... I was thinking versicolor or virginica but my iris books don't agree.
Lesley,
Your books ought to agree with your intuition.
Iris x robusta - hybrids of two native American irises (Iris versicolor x Iris virginica).
Gerald Darby is one, but they don't have to have a name - could be unnamed seedlings of the cross.
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I. x robusta 'Gerald Darby' is the only Iris over here which is sold for having this very dark blue base on the leaves: http://jardinsmichelcorbeil.com/images/iris%20gerald%20darby.jpg (http://jardinsmichelcorbeil.com/images/iris%20gerald%20darby.jpg)
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Paul. your 'Emperor' looks about right. The standards and falls are single and flat when fully open but the style arms seem to be doubled or even trebled. I broke one when trying to sort them out. There are two flowers out now and I keep going back to have another look, that rich, deep blue is so glorious.
Wim, I don't recall the deep colour on the leaf bases. I'll have to ask Susan if I can have another look and take a picture of the whole magnificent clump. I may see her at the market tomorrow where CHERRIES will be top of my shopping list. Yum. ;D