Irises: How to overwinter Louisiana Iris in Zone 5?, 1 by PatrickOC

PatrickOC wrote:
I am in New Orleans, so my conditions are completely unlike those in the north. We don't have cellars here (if we're smart) so I am not sure exactly what the conditions are in a root cellar, but it is absolutely correct that Louisianas cannot dry out. We get an inch of snow every ten years, so I can't say much about irises in cold conditions from direct experience. I have seen pictures of Louisianas frozen in a bucket of water and then in bloom the next spring. I think they might do better in a pond in cold climates than generally realized, but possibly not if they are not established. In Rochester NY there is a large planting of Louisianas in Highland Park, called the Iris Friendship Garden. Every year Edna Claunch posts pictures from the garden by Gene Lupinetti on the Louisiana iris discussion list, and everything seems to look great in the landscape and as individual flowers. I have never heard a report on how these plantings are managed, and don't know what zone Rochester is in, but it is clear that Louisiana irises will do well pretty far north. I am posting one of Gene Lupinetti's pictures from Highland Park.

Patrick