CyberSalad: Garden Pursuits: Bulbs: Iris: Bulbous

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     Among the more than 200 kinds of wild irises that grow in various parts of the world, those that are truly bulb plants fall into three groups. Reticulata irises are low growing--usually only 4 to 8 inches tall--and each bulb bears one flower 1 to 3 inches across in very early spring, just about when snowdrops, crocuses and winter aconites appear; the leaves are short or just beginning to grow when the flowers open, but eventually become 12 to 18 inches long before fading away in early summer. Blooms of I. danfordiae are yellow, I. histroides blue, and I. reticulata are found in violet, purple, and blue, and hybrid colors run from deep purple to light blue.
     Xiphium irises grow 1 to 2 feet tall, each bulb usually bearing two flowers 3 to 4 inches across in late spring. The group takes its name from the botanical name of the fragrant Spanish iris, I. xiphium, a species that comes in white yellow, orange, bronze, or blue. The Dutch iris hybrids, obtained from a crossing of the Spanish iris and several other species, come in white, yellow, orange, bronze, blue, purple, or bicolor mixtures. The English iris, I. xiphoides, ranges in color from white through shades of blue to violet purple. All Xiphium irises are most effective when planted in groups and are excellent for cutting.
     Juno irises look somewhat like immature corn plants until they blossom in the early spring. They grow about 2 feet tall and bear blossoms 3 to 4 inches across. Each bulb usually produces five to seven blossoms on its stalk; the flowers appear along the stalk as well as at the top. Two attractive species are I. bucharica, with small white erect petals and large golden yellow hanging outer petals, and I. magnifica, with pale lilac erect petals and white outer petals topped by orange crests.
     Juno and Reticulata irises are hardy in Zones 5-10; the Xiphium group is hardy in Zones 7-10. English irises do well only in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest, where the climate is relatively cool and moist. All do best in full sun, with light shade at midday in the hot areas of Zones 9 and 10. Plant the bulbs early in the fall as soon as they become available. Space the bulbs of Reticulata irises about 4 inches apart and cover them with about 3 inches of soil; be careful not to break off the thick roots below the bulbs of Juno irises. Apply a dusting of 5-10-10 fertilizer when the plants emerge in spring. Leave iris bulbs undistrubed for three to five years until blossoming slackens, then dig them up when dormant in midsummer, and reset them farther apart. Danford iris bulbs split into small ones during their first two seasons in the ground. Propagate irises from small bulbs at the base of the old bulbs.

	Reticulata Group Very hardy. Bulbs netted with fibers. Leaves tubular and pointed. Flowers to 3 inches across. Bloom time: late winter (earliest of all iris).
	Xiphium Group Moderately hardy. Generally grows to 24 inches tall by 6-8 inches across. Leaves reed-like and generally sparse. Flowers 4-5 inches across, 1 or 2 per stem.

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Site launched January 1, 2000.
Site updated September 1, 2007.