Iris unguicularis cretensis doesnt flower

[mark smyth]

I've had Iris unguicularis ssp cretensis for about 7 years. In this time it has never produced any flowers. Any ideas why? It grows in a trough that gets sun, when it shines, from 10am until about 9pm in the summer time. At this time of year it gets sun from 10am to 4.30pm

The photos are 2007 and 2014

[Maggi Young]

A familiar problem to me, Mark . I have no idea why I have had similar failure with this plant. I think I may have had one or two flowers in many, many years.    I wonder if there are some clones that are poor flowering types  -    or is  our weather just too bad for it.  I think, though, that you get more sun that I do....

I could weep when I hear and see of folks with good  flowers on it.... so envious.

[David Nicholson]

Perhaps needs a bit of lime and a feed?

[Pauli]

Perhaps a bit of lime and much more food!

I have one a little bit older which is actually growing over my bulb bed. I tried to reduce it this spring (with a spade) and root the cut off pieces but with very moderate success!

[Maggi Young]

Well I must admit that plants which would appreciate lime will have a long wait in this garden -it is just not something that we attend to - I know we should! 

[Lesley Cox]

You could try large amounts of Ian's bulb food, based on Potassium sulphate. I had I guess 3 or 4 flowers on my cretensis over maybe 10 years but have had more, 5 or 6 a year since a good twice yearly feed with high potash mixture. I think the lime may help too and certainly a very sunny climate is good. It's not getting that here this year!