Iris

This is a large group of mostly hardy perennials, some of which are bulbous, and others rhizomatous. Some varieties may be grown in bog gardens and shallow water. These beautiful plants grow wild in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Their name is taken from Iris, a rainbow, and refers to the beauty and variety of the flowers. The rhizomatous Irises have sword-shaped leaves arranged in a basal fan, while those growing from bulbs have slender leaves. Irises vary in height from dwarf kinds, 5 to 6 inches high, to the tall beardless kinds, 20 to 48 inches high. Most varieties bloom from May to June, but in mild climates many will bloom for a good part of the year. Irises are different in their structure than most other plants. The three outer petals hang down and are known as falls; these may be bearded, beardless, or crested. The other three are called standards; they stand upright, though on some varieties, droop. Rhizomatous Iris are grouped into three categories: bearded, beardless, and crested. Bearded Irises have a thick line of fine hairs along the outer falls; beardless do not. Crested Irises have ridges or crests instead of beards on the falls. I. confusa is a crested Iris that grows from 1 to 3 feet high. Its evergreen or semi-evergreen, broad leaves grow from bamboo-like stems. Its flowers grow up to 2 inches wide. They are white and the yellow crested falls are spotted with yellow and purple. They are borne in succession on branching stems in mid-spring. This Iris is more for milder climates. I. 'Fulvala' is a beardless Iris with beautiful flowers from 2 to 5 inches across growing in pairs on zigzag stems in the summer. The velvety petals are dark reddish-purple with a yellow blaze on the falls. I. 'Flamenco' is an interesting bearded Iris that grows up to 3 feet high. The flowers grow up to 6 inches across; six to nine flowers grow on branched stems in early summer. The gold standards are permeated with red and the falls are white to yellow with red edges and dark golden-brown beards. Bulbous Irises will grow in a few places on the Pacific coast; otherwise, most do not flourish in gardens. There are English, Dutch and Spanish types; the names come from the countries in which they were hybridized. They are widely grown by florists and are usually very beautiful. Many Irises are excellent for cultivating in the bog garden and two of these can even stand in water constantly. I. laevigata has deep blue, bluish-purple or white flowers consisting of fairly wide falls and considerably narrower standards. These are produced in June and July, 2 to 4 on sparsely branched stems. The standards have a thin, pale yellow stripe. Its leaves are smooth and grass-like. The size of the blossoms depends on the richness and moisture of the soil. It can be grown with 2 to 8 inches of water over the soil. I. pseudacorus, the Yellow Flag, is another beautiful type that can be grown in 13 to 15 inches of water. In containers, this Iris will grow from 28 to 38 inches high, but in the wild can grow up to 4 feet. It has dark green to gray-green leaves and 4 to 12, deep golden yellow flowers, which have darker yellow patches on the falls and are veined with dark brown or brownish-purple. These varieties can also be grown in drier conditions. Other Irises will be mentioned below in the varieties section. There is such a wide range of colors and shapes.

Pot Cultivation

Bearded Irises should be grown in well-drained, preferably slightly acidic soil in full sun. Some varieties will tolerate poorer soils and light shade. Onocyclus and Regelia Irises are both bearded Irises, but prefer drier summer conditions and might be difficult to grow. Beardless Irises need similar conditions to bearded Irises, but some prefer heavier, more moisture-retentive soils. Beardless Irises include the Pacific Coast, Spuria, Siberian, and Japanese Irises. Many prefer moist waterside conditions, but most are suitable for borders in moist places, in an open, sunny site. Crested Irises include the Evansia Irises. Many can be grown in similar conditions to the bearded Irises, but a few need damp, humus-rich soils. Many in this group are frost tender and need a minimum temperature of 41 degrees. Bulbous Irises are grown in ordinary, well tilled soil, but very heavy or light sandy soil should have compost or other decayed organic matter added. The Dutch Irises are also great to grow in containers to provide flowers in the winter and early spring. They should be grown in two parts loam and one part leaf mold, with plenty of sand added. I. laevigata, when grown in the water, should be planted with its rhizomes 2 or 3 inches below the surface of an acidic, lime-free soil. Don't plant them too closely to other plants or disturb the soil during their growing season. They may be covered with 2 to 8 inches of water. When they are grown in the terrestrial garden, they should be top-dressed with well-rotted manure or rich compost during the winter. This shouldn't be done when they are in the pond, because this will pollute the water. I. pseudacorus is grown as I. laevigata, but can be covered with 13 to 15 inches of water. Other Irises that are suitable for growing in the bog garden or pond will be mentioned in the varieties section.

PROPAGATION: Irises can be increased by division of the rhizomes or offsets in late summer, or by sowing seeds as soon as they are ripe, in sandy soil, in the fall. Seeds usually sprout irregularly so do not discard the seed pans for at least 18 months. Most species don't bloom for two years after sowing seeds. Hybrids can be propagated by division only.