Can someone help me here?

I'm wanting to buy some LA irises, and in a few of the descriptions I've read where they are a "#1 size root". Could someone explain to me the grading system? I'm still a relative newbie to irises as a whole, and don't know anything other than what a 'fan' is. :-/

They are rhizome's not root and should be about this long

______________________or longer& about this wide--- _______

Are the LA iris foliage much taller than TB. A friend of mine gave me something that has a small yellow bloom.
It spreads like crazy. I could share it.

tazzy--thanks. That's not too shabby a size, although I have noticed that some people are awfully proud of some commonly had cultivars...

bluegrass--You probably have Iris pseudacorus, Yellow Flag. Yes, it can be invasive. They're not true LA irises, being a European import. I have some growing in my bog area already, and I'm keeping an eye on it. Thanks for offering, anyway. :-)

I will keep it in my rouge garden. It can fight with the mint.

As to the question whether LA's and Tall Beardeds are taller or shorter, LA's can be 25" to over 50" and TB's, while they are supposed to be taller than 27" can range from 20" to 50". Depends on the genes and growing conditions. The foliage is different, LA's love water, and Bearded Iris can rot if they are overwatered. And of course the flowers are a mile apart. LA's don't have beards. :-)

Iris City Gardens is a good website where you can see pretty much all the types of Iris except Arilbred and Historical.
http://www.iriscitygardens.com/toc.html

You can see Arilbreds and Historical Iris, in addition to the different types of beardeds at Superstition:
http://community.webshots.com/user/rickt103
The prices aren't there. You need a catalog for that but it's a great browsing site. The catalogs are only $1.50 but don't have photos.

This message was edited May 13, 2005 9:56 AM

Thanks, Doss
Have you ever ordered from www.iriscitygardens.com?
I received an invition to vist. I wish I was closer. I am north of them about 100 plus miles. The said they have 50,000 iris. Wouldn't that be like heaven! I may put in an order for some of the TB rebloomers. I have a few Siberians and Dwarfs too.
Teresa

I've never actually ordered from there. I'm really a LA novice - but a quick learner. :-) But I did order this year and they were just fabulous in helping me decide what to buy. And 1,000 Iris would be like heaven much less 50,000.

Tazzy knows them well though.

If I were in your zone I sure would think about growing a few Ensatas. But maybe that's just zone envy talking.



This message was edited May 14, 2005 1:28 PM

i have ordered last 5 years
i love there iris and they are neat people to deal with A+

I would love to vist their display garden. It must be beautiful! I will have to look up Ensata that is a new one on me. My sister is north of Nashville, we might need to take a road trip. She is the camera buff.

Sorry bluegrass - I should have said Japanese Iris.

My sister has a few of those and they do well here. I need to take my spade with me and borrow a few :)

bluegrass425 - if she's looking that's called borrowing, if she isn't looking that's called snatching lol lol lol

Bet you've been 'borrowing' stuff from your sister your whole life! At least she won't be surprised. How nice that you live close enough to borrow stuff from each other.

35 miles isn't to bad. She has been the career woman but is coming around to her farmer's daughter background. She is adding hosta galore to her shady back yard. I should really just trade her a few TBs for those Japanese iris.