Iris ensata (kaempferi) 'Pink Lady' ??? Want to know, please

Went to the nursery today where I like to buy my plants. Best place around here and have to drive up the shore 35 miles to do that. I went to buy another cherry tree.. Well, you know how it is when you get to a nursery with all of those plants there!
I have one Japanese iris, Greywood's 'Freckled Geisha' and geez... they had Japanese irises.
I checked out the picture and thought that was the prettiest bloom.
OK...so I get home and one of the first things I want to do is get on lone to here and look it up. Had to unload the tree first though.
Well, it is not on here, but I searched for it and found it at a few online nurseries for sale. Then I found a website forum with a question about my new iris and the reply was that it is not a registered cultivar and should only be labeled as an UK.
All right...I guess I can deal with that. But does anyone know anything about the bloom? How big is the bloom? Nice iris, just so so or what???
Deb

Because Pink Lady is an unregistered iris there is no control over it. That's why the notation was made. People have bought Pink Lady and ended up with a lovely Pink JI. Others got the common purple.

I wouldn't buy it, and would look to a grower for a pink I liked.

Pink Lady is one of those JIs that the bulb growers are flooding the market with. Others are Geisha Girl, Imperial Magic. There is absolutely no control over what you're getting when you get those.

How much was it, Deb?

Thanks for the tip Polly

I also bought from one of my favorite nurseries, "Pink Lady". Luckily mine was a pretty little bloom so it has been transplanted to the overflow area where i keep my non registered. She was replaced with Coho which has a very large pink bloom.

estrail1rider - your question was about the plant so here is the description and a photo of it by American Meadows:
http://www.americanmeadows.com/japanese-iris-pink-lady

Here Coho is not a large bloom but pretty. It is pictured below along with the large bloomed Tarnhelm but there are both smaller and larger, taller and shorter JI blooms.

We all have, or have had, unregistered JI's so it's your choice to buy or not.

pollyk...I paid 8.99 for a pot of 12 fans. They sell by pot size rather than # of plants, divisions, or fans in the pot. Sooo....of course I count them! LOL! I am not selling these, just wanted another large blooming JI to add to my new pond. I guess if it has small blooms maybe I can trade it for something else and find a large blooming one, not too much like the 'Greywoods Freckled Geisha'. I don't care if it is reg. I just want a pretty one with a large bloom! BTW, does anyone know what size blooms the Geisha have?
Deb

Yes, buy it if you wish, but please throw the label away, and never sell or trade it as Pink Lady.

And my answer was about the plant. As it's not registered you don't know what you're getting. I know people that have purchased Pink Lady and were sent a common 3 fall purple.

Sorry Deb, we cross posted.

Geez!!! Hope it is NOT that blue!!! Recounted the fans though...couldn't remember...it is 28 fans not 12.

I bought it yesterday...figuring it was like the pic at the nursery!



This message was edited Mar 17, 2012 1:31 PM

Wow! Buying 28 fans is terrific. Wish that would happen with all I order!

Please show us photos when it blooms. Thanks.

Hopefully it will be Deb. I know you're a good iris gardener. Just please don't sell or pass it along as Pink Lady. Enjoy it for yourself.

The AIS and the Japanese Iris Society have put a lot of time and effort into registering irises. I think we owe it to them to respect that.

Won't pass it along as 'Pink Lady'. Maybe trade some as unk. for those that just want some JI's in their pond. Will post a pic when it blooms! Thanks.for mentioning that.
So, what I am really looking for is something like 'Tarnhelm'.
Will look that one up on the internet for current prices.
Thanks for the info!


OK...looked it up, well tried to, who has it for sale?
Can anyone recommend an iris similar to that one?
Deb

This message was edited Mar 19, 2012 9:00 AM

Check Plant Scout.

Lady In Pink, Oriental Lady and Pinkerton. True pink is not common in Japanese iris.

Also, I hate to tell you, but the iris you have as Greywoods Freckled Geisha is incorrect. There are a lot of Greywoods Japanese irises, but not Greywoods Freckled Geisha. There is a Freckled Geisha.

FRECKLED GEISHA Reid, Lorena Reg. 1981 D560-1 36in 91cm EM 6 Ruffled white with hairline edge of deep maroon and delicately sprinkled with mauve to wine freckles; green-gold signals; white stylearms edged pale mauve. Sdlg X Frilled Enchantment. Lauries Garden 1981 Available HM: 1984, PAYNE AWARD 1987

I must have the name incorrectly remembered??? I purchased it from Greywood's. Wouldn't think they would sell an unregistered iris???
Deb

They would sell an iris introduced by someone else. So 'Freckled Guisha' would be correct.

TY!! It has bloomed once. It was in the bay window. I was afraid it would freeze over the winter. It is now in our new pond (since Dec) and is growing. The bloom was as you describe!
Does it give any info as to how large the bloom is?
debbie