We are in iris planting season, made apparent by the annual sales of the Monterey Bay Iris Society and the deluge of catalogs from iris growers.<\/p>\n
Iris family (Iridaceae) is huge, with about 2,000 species distributed among 65 genera. The bearded irises, the most popular form, are hybrids based on the German Iris (I. germanica), the Sweet Iris (I. pallida) and the Hungarian Iris (I. variegata). Bearded irises are available in many sizes, colors, color combination and blossom types, thanks to the tireless work of professional and amateur hybridizers.<\/p>\n
Today, we review the six horticultural classifications of the bearded iris, both to broaden appreciation of this popular garden plant and to suggest landscaping opportunities.<\/p>\n
Miniature Dwarf Bearded Iris (MDB): These are smallest (up to eight inches tall), and earliest to bloom, with the crocus and dwarf daffodil. Each plant produces multiple stems, providing a great display that lasts for weeks.<\/p>\n
Tall Bearded (TB): These, the largest and most popular of the bearded irises, grow to 27.5 tall and more. They are the last to bloom.<\/p>\n
Medians: there are four \u201cmedians,\u201d all created by crossing MDBs and TBs.<\/p>\n
This quick review of the several kinds of bearded irises is drawn from Kelly Norris\u2019s new book, \u201cA Guide to Bearded Irises: Cultivating the Rainbow for Beginners and Enthusiasts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last week, I mentioned the Annual Rhizome Sale of the Monterey Bay Iris Society, Saturday, August 10th<\/sup> (that\u2019s today, from 9:00 to noon!). Visit the sale at Aptos Farmer\u2019s Market, Cabrillo College, Aptos. It\u2019s an exceptional opportunity to add tall bearded irises to your garden at very low cost, and chat with local iris enthusiasts.<\/p>\n More<\/p>\n Good mail order suppliers of iris rhizomes<\/strong><\/p>\n Schreiner’s Iris Gardens<\/a>, near Salem, Oregon<\/p>\n Keith Keppel Iris<\/a>, Salem, Oregon<\/p>\n Fred Kerr’s Rainbow Acres<\/a>, North Highlands, California<\/p>\n Aitken’s Salmon Creek Gardens<\/a>, Vancouver, Washington<\/p>\n Books on Irises (most available through Amazon.com)<\/strong><\/p>\n The Iris Family: Natural History and Classification<\/i>, by Peter Goldblatt and John C. Manning \u00a0 2008<\/p>\n Irises<\/i>, by James Parry\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2006<\/p>\n Classic Irises And the Men And Women Who Created Them<\/i>, by Clarence Mahan \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2006<\/p>\n Irises: A Gardener’s Encyclopedia<\/i>, by Claire Austin \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2005<\/p>\n Wild Lilies, Irises, and Grasses: Gardening with California Monocots<\/i>, by Nora Harlow, Kristin Jakob \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2004<\/p>\n Iris<\/i>, by Theodore James , with Harry Haralambou \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 203<\/p>\n Irises<\/i>, by Sidney Linnegar, Jennifer Hewitt \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2003<\/p>\n Iris: The Classic Bearded Varieties<\/i>, by Claire Austin \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2002<\/p>\n The Gardener’s Iris Book<\/i>, by William Shear \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2002<\/p>\n The Siberian Iris<\/i>, by Currier McEwen, with Jean G. Witt \u00a0 1996<\/p>\n The World of Irises<\/i>, by Bee Warburton, Beatrice A. Warburton and Melba Hamblen (Eds.)\u00a0\u00a0 1978<\/p>\n The Iris Book<\/i>, by Molly Price\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1972<\/p>\n The genus Iris<\/i>, by G. I. Rodionenko\u00a0\u00a0 1961<\/p>\n Iris culture and Hybridizing for Everyone<\/i>, by Wilma Vallette\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1961<\/p>\n The Iris<\/i>, by N. Leslie Cave\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1959<\/p>\n Iris for Every Garden<\/i>, by Sydney B. Mitchell \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1949<\/p>\n Irises. Their Culture And Selection<\/i>, by Gwendolyn Anley\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1946<\/p>\n The Iris: A Treatise on the History, Development, and Culture of the Iris for the Amateur Gardener<\/i>, by John Caspar Wister\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1930<\/p>\n The genus<\/i> Iris<\/i>, by William Rickatson Dykes\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1913<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We are in iris planting season, made apparent by the annual sales of the Monterey Bay Iris Society and the deluge of catalogs from iris growers. Iris family (Iridaceae) is huge, with about 2,000 species distributed among 65 genera. The … Continue reading