I just found an all white iris seedling, the first one I've ever seen. I googled albino iris and couldn't find any information.
I have had albino day lilies, 4 of them, and I was told they had no chlorophyl and could not make food and would eventually die and they did. I hope the same will not be true of the iris. Does anyone have any experience with this?
1 taken today
2 taken a week ago.
I have had seedlings of other plants besides iris or daylilies that have started out white as young seedlings or emerging lily bulbs, but eventually as the weather warmed up and ground fully thawed and a few days of constant sun it turned into a nice healthy green larger seedling and than plant. when you start seeds on an tray to germinate in a cupboard they are white for awhile as they popped/emerged in the dark. I have had an tall bearded iris that was paler green than my others but appeared to be in good health than get white streaks that eventally turned a large part of the fan white, and it turned out to have mosaic virus, and so I quickly had to toss that cultivar and soil around it, so it did not contaminate any other iris.
I guess anything is possible. I for the first time last year saw a completely white albino squirrel with pink eyes, and then to my amazement, the same month, saw an albino robin in my front yard. However,like that person told you, in plants that are supposed to be green, that all white trait probably wouldn't work, as if it's not turning green how is it making food?
yes, because of lack of chlorophyll they will eventually die. I wonder how far along it will grow.
I'll keep it, fertilize it, watch it and see what happens. I heard from someone on another garden site that it also happens in hostas. He referred to them as fatal whites. Out of 100 iris seedlings that are all doing well this is the first one that was albino. So far I have not found any references at all for albino irises, so I am assuming it is rare.
Sadly, my albino iris is no more. It turned brown after it had 3 leaves and then fell over.
I'm afraid that is the usual happening.
