With the wet weather we have had this year, I have had things bloom that I forgot I had...and some I completely don't remember. I know this is an iris...well...maybe I don't!!. But I have never seen it bloom before and there was just the one bloom. As you can see, it was short, has short, strappier type leaves and is no taller than the wood sorrel flower beside it.
Does anyone recognize this?
Thanks,
Debbie
This message was edited Aug 14, 2009 11:45 AM
Iris graminea. Smell it, it has scent.
The flower has been gone for quite a while now. Wonder how in the world that got there!! LOL!!! We built the bed a number of years ago and I never planted it there. Must have come in on something though. Can't imagine what though. Irises from my dad's house, a few reticulatas and wood sorrel is the only thing I have ever had in that bed.
TY for the ID! Now I can look it up.
Debbie
You are lucky. I actual won best species one year for this "plum" iris. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53800/
And it is normal for the flowers to bloom way down inside the foliage.
So neat!! I looked up a photo of I. graminea and it was a perfect match!!! ( It was growing down in among my TB irises and I found it when I was weeding!)
Guess I will put it on my trade list as I don't think it will grow on the Eastern Shore of VA...we are moving there and I am in the process of digging and moving plants... a Tahoe full at a time!
Thanks so much!!!!!
debbie
It's z3b to z9b. Sounds like it would be okay. What zone is it where you are moving?
7b-8 but it is between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. The soil is dirty sand and hardly enough dirt to call the sand "dirty". There is a lot of farming there, mostly soybeans, corn, and tomatoes. Hot and humid in the summer. Our house is built on what I think was a soybean field and there are no trees around it. We are just now getting our grass to almost resemble a lawn...very little shade. I want to put in a garden pool on the S side which will get several hrs of full sun ( the way the house and garage are built give it shade part of the day. There is another area where I want to try my woodland wildflowers that is almost all shady but not deep shade.
I went walking in the woods the last time I was there to see what king of plants grew there. I was quite supprised to find several slipper orchids!!!
What do you think?
I think I graminea will do just fine there. It's native to southeastern Europe. Sounds just right.
I would highly recommend you get a book by Pamela Harper, Time Tested Plants. She lives in that area, and she grows a huge array of irises, as well as many others. It's my favorite gardening book, but if I lived in her area, I would really rely on it.
OH!!! TY!!!! I have looked and looked at people's yards as I drive up US 13 over there to see what they are growing! there is at least 1 Crepe Myrtle in every yard! Lots of hostas but things so much as I am interested in. (I do like hostas) I also visited a big...by the standards there where you have to drive to MD to find a WalMart!... and talked to the nurseryman there. I did learn quite a bit from him even though I noted that he sold some flowering shrubs he said would probably not live there. I will certainly find that book!
Debbie
Found it, bought it. can't wait!!!
I'm sure you'll love it. It was one of the first books I got, and I bought it as Ms. Harper gardens on sand, also. I don't want to say exactly where she lives, you'll find out when you get the book, but it's near Glouchester, as she says Brent and Becky's bulbs are near neighbors.
We had the privelege of attending a talk by Ms. Harper. She's a wonderful gardener, down to earth. She's 79 and energetic as can be.
