Iris lazica in the wild

[Diane Whitehead]

All the Iris lazica we have growing here seems to be the same clone.
I have seen a picture of a darker one near Seattle.

I wonder if there is much variation in the wild ones, which grow at the
Eastern end of the Black Sea, in Turkey and Georgia.

It flowers in winter, according to one report, or in spring according to
another.  It grows on hillsides among chestnuts and rhododendrons.

[Tony Willis]

I had a discussion with a friend yesterday on Iris lazica habitat. I agree the books specify it is somewhat of an edge of woodland plant but when I found it in Eastern Turkey it was growing both in semi shade and in full sun. There was a large rock at the side of the river probably a 2 metres cube and it had a hollow in the top and one plant of the iris sat in this with no water and shade. It was about 60cms across and formed a perfect circle.

Here is my plant growing in the garden

Iris lazica

[Anthony Darby]

Nice for the garden Tony. I'm trying to find a source of Iris cretica (a form of unguicularis).

[Oron Peri]

Anthony, this is the guy...

[David Nicholson]

Nice for the garden Tony. I'm trying to find a source of Iris cretica (a form of unguicularis).

Anthony, I'm not sure Iris cretica exists   Did you mean I. cretensis (Greece, Crete and possibly Syria) or maybe I. carica (Greece, Crete, Cos, Rhodes, and some forms Turkey, Syria and Lebanon) ?  You may find that Kevock stock I. cretensis, and White Cottage Alpines near Hull list I. carica.

[David Nicholson]

I had a discussion with a friend yesterday on Iris lazica habitat. I agree the books specify it is somewhat of an edge of woodland plant but when I found it in Eastern Turkey it was growing both in semi shade and in full sun. There was a large rock at the side of the river probably a 2 metres cube and it had a hollow in the top and one plant of the iris sat in this with no water and shade. It was about 60cms across and formed a perfect circle.

Here is my plant growing in the garden

Iris lazica

Tony, my plant grows in full sun (or what passes for full sun here!) with little or no attention and flowers it's socks off. Gets plenty of water though>

[Anthony Darby]

Nice for the garden Tony. I'm trying to find a source of Iris cretica (a form of unguicularis).

Anthony, I'm not sure Iris cretica exists   Did you mean I. cretensis (Greece, Crete and possibly Syria) or maybe I. carica (Greece, Crete, Cos, Rhodes, and some forms Turkey, Syria and Lebanon) ?  You may find that Kevock stock I. cretensis, and White Cottage Alpines near Hull list I. carica.

You could be right David? There are references to both on Google^tm. It's the one Oron illustrates. A narrow leaved unguicularis from Crete. I'm always disappointed with the forms of unguicularis I have as they rend to flower in March or even April when there really isn't any point in having the plant any more! Thanks for the suggested suppliers.

[Oron Peri]

Anthony,

I unguicularis from N. Africa [Algeria], blooms much earlier starting in December till mid February.
It is very similar to I. lazica in flower form and wide leaves and by being an evergreen.
I. unguicularis ssp. cretense and ssp. carica tend to dry leaves in hot summer and also seems to prefer acid soils.

[Anthony Darby]

No problem with the soil type. Were are acid peat over clay.

[Tony Willis]

Anthony last time you mentioned you wanted Iris unguicularis ssp cretensis I said I could offer you one but I did not get a reply. I cannot flower it but this is probably just me.
You are very welcome to a piece.

I have about a dozen forms of I unguicularis from Turkey and they flower well and are quite robust.I have grown them in pots but now planted them out to see how they do.

David I can find no reference to Iris carica in the 'The Iris' by Brian Mathew

[David Nicholson]

Tony, I picked it up from a Document titled "Summary of the Genus Iris" but can't remember for the life of me where I got it from but my Word document file tells me the Author was Robert Pries.

Since I typed above I have Googled the Title which takes me to a Pacific Bulb Society document of a slightly different format to the document I have. See this Link  http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/Iris/New_Iris_Classification.htm

If you would like a copy of the document I have just let me know and I will send it to your private Email address. The file size is 164KB

[Anthony Darby]

Anthony last time you mentioned you wanted Iris unguicularis ssp cretensis I said I could offer you one but I did not get a reply. I cannot flower it but this is probably just me.
You are very welcome to a piece.

I have about a dozen forms of I unguicularis from Turkey and they flower well and are quite robust.I have grown them in pots but now planted them out to see how they do.

David I can find no reference to Iris carica in the 'The Iris' by Brian Mathew

Gosh, that is very remiss of me. I'd love to try a piece.

[BULBISSIME]

Here is another iris unguicularis ssp. cretensis in the wild, in Crete;
a very small plant, brighter than I. unguicularis.

[Tony Willis]

Fred that is very nice,it is very similar in the Pelopennese.

I noticed the first flower out on Iris lazica today.

[Anthony Darby]

That is beautiful. I spoke to Ian Steele at the Stirling group meeting on Wednesday (an absorbing, and very interesting, illustrated talk by Sandy Leven on British Columbia). His unguicularius has been flowering since December.