need an iris with variegated foliage

I would like to put something with variegated foliage by the pond I am putting in.
I am ordering from Blue J iris but it seems most of the vf are not for sale right now.
Anyway, I don't know what I want either!
I would love to see pics of your vf iris especially if you have the name to it, or if you don't know a name if you are willing to trade or do postage for it later in the year of course.

I have what was labeled Iris laevigata variegata, that is supposed to have blue blooms, but I haven't seen it bloom yet. This was my 2nd year with it, but year 1 was horribly dry and they didn't settle in as well as they should have. This year they did beef up into a nice clump, and I believe they'll do their thing in '10. I have them in a really bad spot where I can't keep them well watered, so they're getting moved in spring. They have really nicely variegated foliage, and will be showy most of the year. I'm only keeping one nice clump, so I'd be happy to share a division with you.

Laevigata likes to be quite wet, Neal. Probably won't bloom unless it has Japanese iris type conditions. For Frilly Lily, by the pond would be perfect for it.

Variegated Japanese iris won't keep it's variegation very long, pretty much spring is it.

My very favorite is not an iris, but it looks like iris leaves, Acorus calamus Variegata. It keeps it's variegation, grows about 3-4 feet tall,and looks excellent with pond irises.

ok lol I am totally confused now :)

I want an iris that will live in dry soil around the edge of the pond. I will be using a liner, so there won't be any 'bog' area. I didn't realize they were only striped in the spring though, are there any that stay striped all year?

so there are some variegated ones that like to be IN the water?

Iris laevigata
Ok am I understanding that this is a Louisianna iris?
so does it go IN the water?
I thought there were some Tall Bearded that had variegated foliage?

Neal, if you want it to bloom in 2010, don't move or divide it. These iris are fussy. Mine is going on 4 years and I hope it will bloom this year as I didn't move it last year.

Polly, glad to know that the variegated JIs lose their variegation, I thought something was wrong with the one I've got (not I. laevigata).

FrillyLily, I.laevigata holds its variegation all summer, and seems to grow well without boggy conditions, just doesn't bloom, so it would probably still work well by your pond as a foliage plant. There are variegated bearded Iris too, I've got a struggling fan of variegated I.pallida that is coming back after nearly losing it to rot- it looks like it may do something next spring.

Mittsy, I'm totally removing the bed I have the I. laevigata in- its so dry there I doubt it would ever bloom, and I ran into other problems there that made me decide it was not worth having a bed in that spot.

I. laevagata & Louisiana iris are not the same. Zebra--is a variegated bearded iris--a form of iris pallida. There are a couple of others but variegation is mainly a work in progress for the bearded.

Sorry, FrillyLily, I didn't mean to confuse. I thought you were putting the iris in the pond.

For dry soil, you're going to want the bearded irises. I don't know if they hold their variegation. Dee can probably tell you. Yes there are tall bearded that have variegation.

In the water Iris laevigata Variegata, and Iris ensata Variegata both will work, but as Neal says, the laevigata will keep the variegation.

Iris laevigata is more closely related to Japanese irises than to Louisiana.

Sorry, Lucy, I was typing and we cross posted.

Do you know if the variegated bearded keep their variegation all summer?

The pallidas hold it. As they are bearded, they are not a pond iris.

frilly Lilly, seems I saw a variety of bloom colors of the pallidas at Zebra Gardens. They have great products, mostly bearded. In northern Utah, they have very dry climate. I doubt their catalogue is up before February 1st, but you could always google them, find their site, and email them. They are just the nicest, most fun folks you'd ever meet. Tell them "BonJon sent me" and that I rode the garden tour busses with them in Kansas City.

Here is I. pallida variegata 'Zebra' which is a bearded iris. The variegated white and green leaves remain. It requires the same culture as other bearded irises. However, due to the variegation it is slower growing than non-varigated irises, including setting rhizomes.

Here is the blooms of the variegated iris.

There is also a variegated iris with green and yellow foliage.

Quite a few of the newer varigated foliage iris do not always hold true at least not here. Zebra Blush 2/3 every year went back to all green, same with a couple of Biancos that there they stayed varigated for years then sported back to green.

I have only had luck here with the pallidas!

Now there are alot of plants that would go near a pond in a dry area that you could get. Grasses are great for that and they are so pretty with the wind hitting them.

D

I grew Iris Pallida Variegata-ZEBRA for years and it held the stripes and as a bonus it smelled of grapes all over that part of the yard.