Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Iris => Topic started by: Andrew on February 27, 2007, 09:26:12 AM
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As the Iris page is mostly Iris reticulata's, I'll start a new topic for the Juno's.
First flowering for me is I. aucheri 'Snow Princess'.
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Good thinking, Andrew, these deserve their own page! M
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Nice Andrew, are they difficult?
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Nice Andrew, are they difficult?
David, it depends on the species, some are easy - I. bucharica, I. cycloglossa - and can be grown outside, others are more difficult to impossible ?
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I shall watch, wait and read, and maybe try a couple of easy ones next year.
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David, I. bucharica is probably one of the easier ones. I struggle with it out of doors in Moray but it does seem to survive and I get better results in a pot in the greenhouse (good enough to feel able to put it on the show bench but not good enough for the judges recognition - yet). It is also readily available.
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David, I. bucharica is probably one of the easier ones. I struggle with it out of doors in Moray but it does seem to survive and I get better results in a pot in the greenhouse (good enough to feel able to put it on the show bench but not good enough for the judges recognition - yet). It is also readily available.
David, I was doing a bit of research this afternoon and I. bucharica is currently top of my "to try list"
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Thrilled to have a new page just for junos. I'll have to post some pics later in the year. I'm starting to repot mine now and am surprised to find some well into root already, a problem as I've to send a couple to Oz in April.
I'm surprised to see I. aucheri so tall Andrew. Is this typical for the species? Beginning to wonder if all the tall whites I've raised from AGS seed as graeberiana and assumed to be magnifica alba, may be aucheri instead, though probably not, as they are mid season rather than early. My blue and purple aucheris flower from mid winter to early spring.
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David, I tried some Junos for the first time 2 years ago. They did really well last year and are showing up at the moment and are (were before the snow anyway) looking good again. They are outside in a really gritty bed with humus. Here is a photo of Iris New Argument and Iris Blue mystery(both last year) from Leonid Bonderenko, he is trying to bred tough hybrids.
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Susan,I think I would have to grow in pots but if they prosper up there they ought to grow down here?
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I'm surprised to see I. aucheri so tall Andrew. Is this typical for the species? Beginning to wonder if all the tall whites I've raised from AGS seed as graeberiana and assumed to be magnifica alba, may be aucheri instead, though probably not, as they are mid season rather than early. My blue and purple aucheris flower from mid winter to early spring.
Lesley, it's new this season so I cannot comment on that. I've just come home and noticed the normal I. aucheri has opened its flower, it's about six inches tall - bit dull for a flower now, maybe tommorrow - and I had that last season (no flower).
This might be totally unrelated but I have some corydalis and tulips, the same species were kept refridgerated and in an unheated room. The fridged corydalis is in full flower, the roomed one is not showing above grow and the fridged tulips are about doubled the height of the roomed ones !
Then again, I think it is I. warleyensis is looking elongated and I had that last season as well !!
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my first Junos this year:
Juno nicolai
Juno stenophylla
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You seem to be preparing more surprises for us Dirk !
This J. nicolai has such an unusual colour combination : beautiful
Thanks
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Andrew, with many bulbs from climates with cold, harsh winters - as in central Asia where many junos come from - cold is the trigger to start growth so bulbs kept cold will be earlier than those in warmer conditions. Also happier probably.
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As promised I. aucheri.
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This is 15 cm/6 inches tall. I had a look in Mathew's Iris and he says about 15 - 40 cm in height and 'it is possible to grow it in the open ground in southern Britain'. I had the tape measure out on I. aucheri 'Snow Princess' and that is 35 cm/14 inches, so within range.
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Andrew, do you mean in South East Britain where (sometimes!) it's drier, or South West where it aint?
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Those are nice Andrew, more what I would have expected from I. aucheri, but I didn't realize the height range was so great.
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Andrew, do you mean in South East Britain where (sometimes!) it's drier, or South West where it aint?
The book just says Southern but it was written in 1981. Have you dried out since then or become wetter ?
(Edit - I've just read that and am not impling you have any personal problems. :))
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I would suggest that the article means south eastern. Tony G. should be able to grow junos outside OK. They like a prolonged summer rest, up to 4 months isn't excessive for the more difficult species and should be very dry during that period. Tony Hall at Kew (God, to all intents and purposes), grows them in pots and dries these after flowering/seeding until Sept/October then repots, gives a good single watering then no more until there is visible growth. But because of the long no-growth period, they need some feeding while in active growth to build up strength and promote next season's flowers. High potash, low nitrogen.
When there is even moisture in the air, root growth will start very early. I went to repot a couple last month and found them well into new root from the storage roots, even though they had had neither rain nor watering since late November (early summer here).
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Iris willmottiana
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These are lovely Andrew and they look so healthy.
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Beautiful show Andrew !
Nice blue shade.
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Iris warleyensis has opened in the summer(!) weather here and is the best looking in my opinion at the moment.
It may look elongated but it is in character and height range.
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Andrew, do you mean in South East Britain where (sometimes!) it's drier, or South West where it aint?
The book just says Southern but it was written in 1981. Have you dried out since then or become wetter ?
(Edit - I've just read that and am not impling you have any personal problems. :))
Andrew, it has, I haven't!! ;D
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Two forms from Juno rosenbachiana
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2 beauties Dirk !
Have you ever tried any of thes Junos outside ?
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Dirk - once again you have some lovely plants.
All your bulbs seem to grow very strong and very healthy. How do you grow them so well? Perhaps you could write a few words and show a few pictures of where you grow them. What compost do you use. Is it the same for all bulbs? I would be interested to know some details.
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Superb plants and photos Dirk. The foliage on yours is what I would see as typical, very little and very short at flowering time so I was surprised to see the foliage on the same species in the pictures at the Loughborough show. Is that one a particularly vigorous form or is it overfed and etoliated? It did seem to be very healthy though.
I join with Tony in asking for some information about how and where you grow these smaller junos. My few are outside because I have no glass or alpine house but I suspect I could do better for them.
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Hello Luc,
all my bulbs growing outside with protection by rain and snow in
winter and early summer. This Junos standing in summer dry and
not to hot in a garage.
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Raised from seed as I warleyensis ... is this Iris bucharica?
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Similar certainly but not quite like what I have, the "common" bucharica. Have you thought about the various clones of I. orchioides? I don't think my falls ever tuck under like that and the standards are more upright.
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Thanks Lesley - I'll take a close look at I orchioides
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This is my Iris bucharica!
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Beautiful, Franz and a perfect match for Tony's Iris, even to the photograph!
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I've just bought my first Juno - I. bucharica, looks a lot like the photos in this thread, so name must be correct. The pot looks as if it is spreading with some new shoots here and there, non flowering of course. If I do put it in the garden is it likely to clump up or should I remove bulbs every year for storage, not sure from posts so far. Any help with cultivation much appreciated.
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In a post above, I should have said style arms of course, not standards which in junos, are small, horizontal or even totally downward growing, as in the pics above. The style arms are much larger and take the place of standards in other species.
Chis, junos generally, and certainly I. bucharica DO clump up well and increase freely by daughter or side bulbs. This means that they can make a super clump in the open garden. I grow all mine outside (though some in pots outside) because I have no place to grow them under cover. I. bucharica should be happy in the open garden but having said that, my climate is rather different from yours and people nearer your home could give you better advice. One thing they all like is a warm, dry summer while they are dormant. If you grow them in pots, don't repot until they have had that dry rest period. Tony Hall at Kew, doesn't repot until Sept/Oct. I like to repot or grow earlier in the season, say late summer Jan/Feb here, as since they are outside, any rain or dampness in the air starts the new root growth and I like to have them sorted out before that happens.
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Thanks Lesley. I think I will put it in the garden, my soil is like sand, slightly acid and very, very free draining, so any heat we do get in the summer should reach the bulbs easily. I'll make sure its in a place where I can enjoy it in spring though, such a lovely plant, well worth the £4 I paid for it.
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Hi Chris
I've got I bucharica growing and flowering in the garden (I think I should point out Chris's garden is about 4 miles away from me. . . ) on my heavy clay under the edge of my quince tree. It's not yet in flower outside (or wasn't on Wednesday when I last looked) but is looking very healthy at the moment. I think the quince must help protect it during the summer and keep it relatively dry. I certainly don't do anything else to it!
I visted a garden about this time last year in the Northumberland hills which had superb clumps of I magnifica in the garden - so there must be something more to it for these easy species than just keeping them dry. I'm not suggesting some of the really tricky ones will grow outside in northern britain, but maybe we should sometimes be a bit more adventurous and a bit less ready to believe everything we read - afterall, according to my Euphorbia book, my Euphorbia mellifera shouldn't grow north of the english midlands - good job it can't read! ;D
It can be hard when you've spent the eqivalent of a good bottle of wine (or case of wine for some of the irises I want to grow!) to risk the plant outside - I guess that's where trying seedlings or divisions is a possible route.
I seem to remember reading somewhere years ago that you shouldn't say a plant wouldn't grow for you until you'd tried it 3 times in 3 different places outside, and if you are able to grow your own, it's a bit cheaper! If anyone knows the source of the quote I'd be grateful.
Sue
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Iris magnifica alba, grown from Gotenborg seed, I know it's not particularly special, but I'm pleased to have got this far. Second year of flowering this year
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Very clean white, isn't it? Good, healthy foliage, no wonder you are pleased, Diane.
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Diane, I think I. magnifica alba is very special indeed. Maybe not one of the most difficult, but sooooo beautiful and very reliable, and these, I think are what makes something special, not just rarity or difficulty.
Chris, you mention slightly acid soil. In general, junos like a bit of lime.
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Here are our Iris bucharica. One lot grown in a pot in the greenhouse, the others are in the garden. Both pictures were taken today (and don't try to read anything into the date). They don't do well outside for us but are easy under glass.
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Mmmm, see what you mean David. Perhaps the northern half of Scotland is just not sufficiently like Central Asia for junos. :) Lovely potful though.
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Sue,
I think the quote you want is from Tony " I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least three times." Avent of Plants Delights Nursery (http://www.plantdelights.com/) in the USA
cheers
fermi
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Can anyone identify this juno iris for me?
Thanks
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Looks like another I bucharica David.
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Possibly, Tony, but not quite the same as the others. I was hoping for a truely rare find!
Actually there is a story behing these bulbs. Last autumn we had a Continental Market in Inverness and bought a couple of bags of Iris danfordiae at a very cheap price to grow in pots for winter colour. Upon opening the bags the bulbs did not look right and the pots were shoved under the bench - when they did not emerge early enough they were put outside until I recognised them as junos and brought them back into the greenhouse.
I suppose for Dutch mass produced bulbs I shouldn't expect a rarety from Iran but no harm in hoping. It was a bargain buy, whatever.
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I recently saw Iris for sale, potted, at the local greengrocers. About 10 shoots crammed into a 4" pot. Close inspection revealed Iris bucharica!! They get about once the Dutch have propogated them. Oh ..and the price for 10 Iris bucharica .... £2.25!!! I was on my pushbike and declined to buy ... meant to go back but ....
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I think it's bucharica too David - lots more buds to come.
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We have the white I. magnifica on the previous page, this is the normal form, which did darker after a few days out.
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But what's the opinion on the leaves,
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is it my growing conditions or v!*+s.
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As new here I´m not quite sure how to attach a picture. Just to make a try I will show my first Juno. It is I willmottiana and the picture is not as good as erlier shown. But anyway... Just to practice and show that it is possible to cultivate outside in rainy West Sweden.
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Hello, Kenneth and a very warm welcome to the Forum! A lovely Iris and growing well.......
unlike yours, Andrew... burn it, quickly... that is a virus. Sorry!
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If Andrew, or anyone else, has a pot with several plants/ bulbs in it and only one shows the effects of virus - should the whole potfull be destroyed or just the one showing the infection.
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I would incline to say, just the virused one, and hope for the best with the others, while keeping them "quarantined" for safety.... but Ian would say bin the lot... as he did with our collection some years ago.....and many of them full of fat buds and looking so good.... he made me destroy the lot! I was heartbroken about them and was weeping as I chucked them, but I know I'd have felt worse if the infection had been spread to other plants as well.
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A couple of Juno Iris to show that they like growing in sometimes sunny Scotland. This is their 2nd year unprotected out in the open garden and are flowering well again. I lifted and split them last year but couldn't bare to see them out of the ground so against most advise I planted them straight back in and didn't give them a summer rest. This year I will leave them without touching them.
Iris Argument
Iris Blue mystery
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A couple of Juno Iris to show that they like growing in sometimes sunny Scotland. This is their 2nd year unprotected out in the open garden and are flowering well again. I lifted and split them last year but couldn't bare to see them out of the ground so against most advise I planted them straight back in and didn't give them a summer rest. This year I will leave them without touching them.
Iris Argument
Iris Blue mystery
Susan, they haven't read the book have they? ;D If you can do that in Scotland I must be able to get away with it here??
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David,
The Iris I got from Leonid Bonderenko in Lithuania. They were really strong plants and are some of his own hybrids that he is breeding for growing outdoors. The crosses are I. bucharica x I. warleyensis for Argument and New Argument, for Blue mystery it is I. willmottiana x I. magnifica.
I would certainly give them a go down in Devon. Prehaps they prefer growing outside, they grow like leeks and I would think they would take more feeding/water/space than you could give them in pots.
Good luck.
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Nice plants Susan, what height are they please ??
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They are 30cm at the moment and have just started to flower, no doubt they will get bigger as they age.
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Hello,
I'm not sure if this juno is an Iris pseudocapnoides sp. nova. Ruksans, I have lost the lable
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HELP! I now own my first Juno. Bought today from a Garden Centre Sale Table. Iris bucharica (so the label says! 3 litre pot, cost= £1.
The question is what do I do now?? I think I need to keep it dry? Do I re-pot it? There are bags of shoots, do I split it? Any help will be gratefully appreciated.
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That's a good pound's worth David, in spite of its being a bit battered. Right now do nothing except perhaps a liquid feed of a high potash fertilizer and keep it reasonably moist (not wet) until there is real yellowing of the foliage. This could be a while as it looks as if you may have seed forming. THEN dry it off and keep it dry until your early autumn and then repot it or put it in the garden with the top of the bulbs about 5 or 6cms below the surface. Sunny place, well drained and a little lime if available. You could carefully split off some side bulbs to make a bigger clump.
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Thanks for that Lesley, I shall follow it to the letter