Louisiana Iris are a relatively new group of hybrids consisting of five native american species. The color combinations of the these five species has produced some of the reddish of the red iris of any iris species. I would suggest to anyone to grow at least one in their landscape.
I got several last fall, waiting for my first buds!
Cheri'
what a beauty!!!
Veeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry pretty! Are they hardy in the north? Where did you buy it?
very prettyyyyyyyyy yes please where did you get it from??
i would love to have one.
They are hardy to zone 4, I think. Don't quote me on that ...
Cheri'
The red colored louisiana iris is a tetraploid seedling of mine that hasn't been registered. The purple colored LA iris on my membership page is 'Kentucky Thoroughbred' that has been registered but not introduced.
Most of the louisiana iris are quite hardy. When ordering them from catalogs you should pick a nursery that is closest to your hardiness zone. The five native species which make up the LA hybrids vary in hardiness and so the hybrids vary as well. If you find a louisiana iris that tickles your fancy I will be more than happy to look it up in the LA Iris Cultivar Checklist, check the hybridizer and see where they live. This will give you some idea of the hardiness of that particular hybrid. Many of the new and most beautiful hybrids are coming from Australia. I do not know the hardiness zones there!
This message was edited Feb 11, 2004 6:26 PM
So pretty!! I ordered several louisana iris and put them in last fall. I am hoping that that survive the winter here and come up in the fall. Your post has made me more hopeful! That first one is gorgeous! Are they easy to hybridize?
The louisiana iris are very easy to hybridize and the seed are easy to germinate as long as they are the diploid plants! Most catalogs will tell you if the plants are tetraploid or not. The tetraploid plants have had their chromosomes doubled which makes the bloom stalks sturdier, the blooms have more substance, and the colors are more intense. Unfortunately the fertility of the plants has decreased.
I checked the Society of Louisiana Iris Membership List and there are about a dozen people that live in New York. I will see which LA iris they grow with ease.
Kybred -- thanks so much for the great info!
Here are a couple of links to view more photos of Louisiana Iris (and order them if you wish). For me - - they are just as easy, if not easier to grow than TB's.
Iris city Gardens
http://www.iriscitygardens.com/frame2.html
O'Conners Louisiana Irises
http://members.cox.net/pfoconnor/IndexPage/index.htm
Some of the newer Louisianas are even more breathtaking than the older ones. Have fun looking at them.
I'm tempted to get some Lousiana Irises this year, and Iris City Gardens isn't *that* far away....(I really need to get some impulse control!!!)
I've added Patrick O'Connor's site here: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/3268/ I think we have some other Louisiana Iris specialists here: http://gardenwatchdog.com/advanced.php?state=la&country=XX&category=15&search_text=&sorter=company_name&submit=Search
HAHAHAHA! Yeah, I definitely need impulse control, not sure what would work, though. After I posted that helpful link, I started checking, and discovered that Iowa Daylilies is going out of business, so all their stock is half price. I just ordered (I think this is my list, anyway):
'Aunt Shirley' http://www.iowadaylilypatch.com/images/Iris/Aunt_Shirley.jpg
'Bellevue's Michelle' http://www.durionursery.com/Bellevue's%20Michelle.JPG
'Bryce Leigh' http://www.victoria-adventure.org/aquatic_plants/dick_sloan/bryce_leigh.html
'Clyde Redmond' http://www.ggnursery.com/Gallery/pages/Clyderedmond.htm
'Professor Jim' http://www.iowadaylilypatch.com/images/Iris/Professor_Jim.jpg
'Freddie Boy' http://www.iowadaylilypatch.com/images/Iris/Freddie_Boy.jpg
'Delta Honey' http://www.iowadaylilypatch.com/images/Iris/Delta_Honey.jpg
'Vermilion Treasure' http://www.iriscitygardens.com/images/louisianna/vermillion.jpg
'E.H. Martin' http://www.iowadaylilypatch.com/images/Iris/E_H_Martin.jpg
For the princely sum of $2.50 each, and $8 postage. wooohoo!!!! (Still might have to sneak to Iris City for that 'Red Velvet Elvis' - http://www.iriscitygardens.com/images/louisianna/redvelvetelvis.jpg ...I'm not even a big Elvis fan, lolol!
I got mine in today from Iowa Lily! They are beauts! I also ordered some of their 1/2 price daylilies, and they came in least 2 fans per. The iris are good sized too. They are all well labelled. I ordered them on Monday, and received them today! I'm thrilled. Can't wait to plant them tomorrow. I'll post pics if anyone wants to see them.
Terry thanks for the heads up on the LA iris sale at iowadaylily patch. I got one each of 10 types. They came today and look great. They mostly sent more than 2 fans each! Shipping like yours was around 8.00. So I have 10 types of LA iris for less than 35.00. I am tempted to buy more at that price.
Again Terry THANKS!
Delisa
Mine came from Iowa Daylily Patch, last fall. I've got a bud on Gerry Marsteller! woo hoo!
Can't wait to see it ...
http://www.louisianairis.com/images/photos.july03/gerry.marsteller.jpg
Cheri'
Just found this thread.
Apparently the most hardy LAs are ones bred by Chowning. When I lived in Ont. zone 4, I grew Dorothy K. Williamson and Black Gamecock. Now I'm in zone 2b . My Las grow in bottomless pots which I bring into the house each fall.
If anyone will collect some LA seeds for me - beepods - anything - I'd be really happy. It is terrible to be addicted to a zone 7/8 plant in zone 2b. Don't know what you would like from Canada. LMK.
Our Iris Society is ordering from Iris Citry Gardens so I'll finally be able to grow some of the wonderful Pryor LAs. The new LA book arrived this week from AIS shop. Itis a super book.
Ginny
