Planting Siberian Iris

I've got what I believe are two clumps of Siberian Iris. Someone dug them up out of their yard for me, which was so nice! They have been in my yard for 2 years now, and haven't bloomed. The man said that they were purple, and he said they had bloomed for several years for him, though he didn't know what kind of Iris they were, and didn't know their name. I took the clumps that he dug, dirt and all, and placed them at the same level that they were at in his yard. I've never had Siberian Iris before, so I'm wondering if they aren't blooming because the rhizomes are too deep? I can't see them, so I don't know how deep they actually are.

Any help would be most appreciated!

Natalie

How about water? siberians like more water than beardeds do. That doesn't mean a flood but they should be watered in before winter.

Can you post a pic?

They get regular water as they are in the flower beds that are on the sprinkler system, with lots of other flowers. I'll have to post a picture tomorrow. They look very healthy, but they may be too deep.

Natalie

Do they get enough sun?
Maybe they are just taking a time out for a year.
Are the clumps really big in diameter?Siberians dont like to be crowded and will stop blooming in the middle of the old clump.

Here's what I would do. Dig clump from ground, remove as much soil from roots as possible and soak in a 5 gallon type bucket with 3 to 4 inches of water for a day. Then separate the clump into smaller size clumps by cutting through with a sharp knife. Replant to the same depth and water well to remove any air pockets. Give the clumps a couple of feet in between them and mulch. If they don't give you a lot of blooms next year, they will be wonderful the second year.
I recently did just this with a purchased very generous clump of siberians. I am so glad I did as there were a lot of iris borer worms in the water in the bucket. I would not have known if I hadn't soaked them. I may not get any or maybe only a few blooms next season, but I know that they will come back and be beautiful.

Mittsy, I had no idea iris borer worms attacked siberians

yes they do. Iris borer is the native pest of the native I. versicolor.

Let's see the picture and see if they're too congested. That was my thought, too.

Sorry for the delay. My camera battery was dead and I couldn't find the charger! Got enough charge on it to get a few pictures.

This is one of the clumps. It had broken into three pieces, so I spread those three pieces out a little. I'll post a shot of all three, then a closer view of each clump.

Natalie

Close up #1

Close up #2

Close up #3

This is the second clump.

They are all in full sun and they get plenty of water, but I've had no blooms in the 2 years that I've had them. I'm not even positive that they are Siberian Iris, but that is what someone told me they were. They are about 2 feet tall, and the foliage is thin.

Natalie

Close up of the base of the second clump.

Thanks for all the help!

Natalie

Could they possibly be Spuria? They take a couple of years to bloom after being moved.

I have no idea if they are Spuria or not. Since I've never seen them bloom, I don't know what to expect other than a purple flower. Are the rhizomes on those different than the others? I don't know how to tell one from the other!

When the man dug them up for me, he put the clumps, dirt and all, right into a bad, so the roots never were disturbed that I could see. At least I never saw them when I planted them in my yard. The first clump did break apart, but it really was more like three clumps to begin with since there was some distance between the plants.

Natalie

I just googled Spuria, and it says that they get 5 feet tall. These are rather short compared to my tall bearded iris, so I'm not sure that this is Spuria.

Natalie

Natalie, please go feel the leaf and see if it feels like it has a midrib. Next, hold a leaf up to the light and see if you can see a pattern in it, which appears to make a box, or go crosswise of the leaf.

A lot of work we're putting you through, LOL.

I'm willing to jump through hoops while twirling a flaming baton if you all can figure out my problem for me! However, there will be no pictures of that. You'll just have to trust me! :-)

I feel a midrib, but I can't see it. I held it up to the light, and the only thing I can see are straight lines running from top to bottom (or bottom to top?). Nothing looks like a box, as there are no lines running from side to side. The lines aren't super visible unless I hold it up to the light. I can see them, but they aren't obvious.

Would it help any if I dug up a rhizome tomorrow and took a picture?

Natalie

This message was edited Sep 25, 2011 7:29 PM

I doubt they are siberians if they have rizomes but I am far from qualified to be jumping in here with advise.

Siberians Have rhizomes. They are not bulbous irises. I don't know the foliage test, Polly knows that.

Could you take one complete leaf and photograph it with a ruler?

Sorry for the delay in photographing. I got bit by the flu bug in the middle of the night, and I'm feeling rather ill right now! I'll take a picture as soon as I can wonder outside.

Natalie

I crawled out to the front yard to get a few more pics. I also decided that it's time to dig up a little chunk and get a look at the root area. I think I see a rhizome. I probably took more pictures than needed, but I'll post them all.

Thanks again for the help!

Natalie

The width of the foliage. They are all different sizes, but most are a little more narrow than this one.

A view of the base of one of the fans

Toward the top of the same fan as above

1st view of root area

Side view of root area

Back of root area

Other side of root area. The "thing" by the 1 on the ruler looks like a rhizome to me. These were buried between 3/4 and 1 inch deep.

Again, I appreciate any help!

Those are wonderful pictures. Very helpful. I'm going to do some photography today of different varieties of irises and we can do an online comparison. They do look like Siberians to me.

Thanks mittsy! I was thinking that they were awful pictures, but they were the best I could do!

I guess now if everyone decides that they are Siberians, I need to know what to do with them to get them to bloom. I know that Tall Bearded Iris need to have the rhizomes buried at the top of the soil, or just below the soil. These are a lot deeper than that. Maybe the problem with no bloom is that they are too deep? I may need to divide them as well. There looks like a lot of new growth in the root area, but I only see one rhizome, if that is what it really is. It looks a lot like a Tall Bearded rhizome, but on a much smaller scale. The new growth isn't what I've seen on a Tall Bearded though, so I'm not sure how to divide them!

Natalie

I took some pictures of a pot of Lee's Blues Siberian Irises that I divided earlier in the summer and potted up for Polly. I originally purchased them from Ensata as part of their Siberian Collection. Lee's Blues base of plant.

This plant is about 18 inches tall

another view.

This message was edited Sep 27, 2011 4:25 PM

Yet another, side view, same plant.

Back view. Shows new healthy growth.

New plant. This is Southern Blue Flag, Iris virginica. View is from the front.