tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post8358788256023536290..comments2024-03-28T03:06:56.796-07:00Comments on Prairiebreak: Wild iris: just about my favorite thing in the world.Panayoti Kelaidishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01846898350006673316noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post-55971871358221244122013-03-14T00:02:26.576-07:002013-03-14T00:02:26.576-07:00The tall, beautiful iris, named after the Greek go...The tall, beautiful iris, named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows, comes in many magical colors.<br /><br />Every gardener wants this perennial. Despite its divine origins, it is hardy, reliable, and easy to grow. Irises also attract butterflies and hummingbirds and make lovely cut flowers.<br /><br />There are some 300 species in the genus Iris. The most familiar irises are the tall (at least 28 inches) bearded irises (Iris germanica).<br /><br />The distinctive flowers have three large outer petals called "falls" and three inner upright petals called "standards." The falls may have beards or crests. Bearded iris are so-called because they have soft hairs along the center of the falls. In crested iris, the hairs form a comb or ridge.<br /><br />They prefer fertile, neutral to slightly acidic soil. If your soil is very acidic, sweeten it with a bit of lime, and forbear summer watering, which can lead to rot. Bearded irises must not be shaded by other plants; many do best in a special bed on their own.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post-66124616614171270832013-02-28T10:21:07.968-08:002013-02-28T10:21:07.968-08:00I will always love Iris...and I agree, the natural...I will always love Iris...and I agree, the natural variation of colors in that broad patch is astounding!scottweberpdxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post-32741076696677828002013-02-28T08:59:12.592-08:002013-02-28T08:59:12.592-08:00You are too kind, Grahame! I sprackle my note with...You are too kind, Grahame! I sprackle my note with gratitude (apparently it IS a word, alas: Scottish regional and probably historical for "to climb") but I detect a sparkling, crackling and more delightful connotation in your usage! Let's popularize it!Panayoti Kelaidishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01846898350006673316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post-54916057461422176182013-02-28T08:40:40.815-08:002013-02-28T08:40:40.815-08:00Panayoti...I love it when you do these visual essa...Panayoti...I love it when you do these visual essays sprackled (is that a neologism?) liberally and lovingly with your feelings and synchronizing them so beautifully with the pics. Great on both accounts. <br />Thanks.Grahame Warehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04023128179088406280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post-25693373446646404802013-02-27T20:53:38.918-08:002013-02-27T20:53:38.918-08:00Only plant I've ever dug up from the wild was ...Only plant I've ever dug up from the wild was one of these growing just to the west, right in the middle of the Boreas Pass road. It had been smashed flat by an SUV a few minutes earlier; I felt sorry for it, and figured its lifespan was limited. It still lives in the garden here, as do plants I raised from seed collected there. Not quite as spectacular in the garden as in the fens, though. Bob / the miserable gardenerhttp://paridevita.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post-84655441284509321182013-02-26T16:45:43.454-08:002013-02-26T16:45:43.454-08:00All I can say is WOW. We have wild iris in my neig...All I can say is WOW. We have wild iris in my neighborhood, but they never grow into such big colonies. I'm not an expert on the varieties of iris, but I have planted them in a number of moisture and sunlight situations and they always prove to be pretty tough.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15742158041464970078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post-12900185464447402192013-02-26T15:38:23.466-08:002013-02-26T15:38:23.466-08:00I would love NOTHING MORE than to trod through fie...I would love NOTHING MORE than to trod through fields of Iris coloradensis in your baileywick: You are welcome indeed to come do the same in mine any year!And anyone who grows Lycoris and the other goodies you do so well can't talk about rubbing things in, Jim!Panayoti Kelaidishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01846898350006673316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134648325048818615.post-76175433145565073162013-02-26T15:28:22.121-08:002013-02-26T15:28:22.121-08:00I find it so improper that a plant named 'miss...I find it so improper that a plant named 'missouriensis' just won't grow in the state of the SAME NAME. Really frustrating. Now if it were I. coloradensis, I'd feel better Thanks for the beautiful pix, but it feels like you are rubbing it in. Best Jim W. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com