three nice little Iris species (well, maybe four)

[TheOnionMan]

Looking through my digital photos, thought I'd share a few photos, and ask a question regarding Iris suaveolens.

The first photo has two species shown, I. reichenbachii in the foreground, with two color forms (light yellow and blue) of I. lutescens (grown from Mike Salmon seed) in the background.  We have 30 cm of frozen snow, othewise I'd run outside to get my source info on I. reichenbachii.

I. suaveolens only flowers well 1 out of every 3-4 years, do others find it is fussy about flowering?  Seems to be very prone to inclement weather, less sturdy in that respect compared to other Iris.  I uploaded 3 views taken in one of its "good years", flowering in May 2008.

Last is I. cristata 'Dick Redfield', an unusual form among the many cristata forms available in the US, in that it has 6 falls!  This was found in the Connecticut garden of the late Dick Redfield.  It also has particularly rich coloration and markings, a stunner in the shady garden.  I bought this form from Darrell Probst at Garden Vision Nursery, it is probably available from other nurseries as well.

[daveyp1970]

Mark they are superb clumps,i can't grow onco and there relatives outside so these do it for me,the I. reichenbachii is just stunning i will have some I. attica seed later on if you would like some.

[Tony Willis]

Mark

I have just given my collection of Iris attica and suaveolens away. I have had them for many years and only had an odd flower every few years. I decided even under glass I just did not have the climate for them.Not enough sun and to much humidity. Not worth the space with me.

In the wild although I have seen large clumps of I.attica with numerous fans of leaves the I suaveolens have never been large plants, only a few fans of leaves growing in very similar situations,hot dry south facing slopes.

[Gerhard Raschun]

Dear Mark,

superb clumbs !

I have never seen such great clumbs, but in my opinion your shown I. suaveolens are rather I. pumila: The falls of the flowers are too long, and especially the leaves are too tall and erect !

In garden every year I loose some plants of I. suaveolens, because winter and spring are too wet.

The clone of I. reichenbachii is unique !

[David Nicholson]

I don't seem to have a problem with Iris suaveolens grown in a pot outside. It tends to get forgotten about apart from when it is in flower but, this Summer I gave it a present and re-potted into a larger pot with a bit of fresh compost. Here it is seen flowering in April last year.

[daveyp1970]

David that is stunning lovely pot full, the problem i have is not with the wet but slugs as soon as my iris throw there spikes up the slugs go on a feeding frenzy.

[Sinchets]

We posted pics of wild Iris reichenbachii taken last March on this thread:

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3407.0

I know Chris had some pics of I.suaveolens on here somewhere, but can't find them. As I remember some were lovely 'brownish' shades.

[Maggi Young]

I know Chris had some pics of I.suaveolens on here somewhere, but can't find them. As I remember some were lovely 'brownish' shades.

 Here? http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3578.0

[Hristo]

Thanks Maggi, also these I.suaveolens from another location

[angie]

David that is some picture and the Iris is amazing , wish I could grow a pot of Irises like that.

Angie

[Sinchets]

We also found this Iris in the Central Rodopi- we eventually settled on it being Iris aphylla. Luckily we returned in time to collect seed on our travels to Lilium rhodopaeum paradise. 

[Hans A.]

Mark, David and Chris - thanks for showing these superb clumps and wonderful variations of I.suaveolens!

[TheOnionMan]

...also these I.suaveolens from another location

Wow, I didn't know there was so much variation in flower color in these Iris species... I particularly like the last I. suaveolens that has some orange color in it.  I'll have to have take a critical look at my Iris suaveolens and reichenbachii this year, the first Iris was given to me and the second was purchased at Rock Garden Society plant sales.

[Hristo]

Hi Mark,

There is a surprising degree of variation in wild populations which simply is not represented in cultivation,
like most of us our earliest introduction to suaveolens and reichenbachii were with divisions in the UK, undertstandably this
is the primary tool for bulking up a cultivar, but I guess this means that the same clones become established and perceived
maybe as the 'type' for the species. We have been growing some of these colour variations for a couple of years now and hope to be able to offer a range of colour varients over the coming years as our stock matures.

I was fascinated to see how strongly your clones have clumped in the garden, a super display that I have never seen repeated in the wild where to date I have only seen 3 flowering stems to a well estbalished rhizome 'mat'.

[Paul T]

Simon,

I just love the big fury white beards on the Iris aphylla.  How tall does that species grow?