Irises: Non-Bearded 2013

[johnralphcarpenter]

Iris wattii. Pity the foliage looks so manky at flowering time.

[David Nicholson]

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:-

[David Nicholson]

Another couple of Dutch Irises:-

[Lesley Cox]

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.

[johnralphcarpenter]

My PCIs are beginning to flower.

[Lesley Cox]

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

[johnralphcarpenter]

Iris wilsonii, I think...

[David Nicholson]

Could be! Is it fragrant; are the stems greyish/green and around 60-75 cm high?

[johnralphcarpenter]

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.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Iris versicolor var. kermesina and Iris 'Holden Clough'

[David Nicholson]

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.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Iris setosa

[johnralphcarpenter]

Dutch Iris 'Eye of the Tiger'

[johnralphcarpenter]

An unusual Iris

[arilnut]

It looks akin to Iris chrysographes.

John B