Iris Details

I've been looking up a lot of iris in the PlantFiles and have noticed that many, many, many details are empty. In a lot of cases the cultivar has been added and a photo but no other details have been checked off (not even Iris Category!). I've been checking them off as I look up cultivars, but am wondering if there is or could be a list of standard entries for the bearded Iris groups.

For example, what is the hardiness range we want to have entered in these entries?
What about Propagation method? Do we just want divide rhizomes or do we want to include seedpods as well?
What foliage options should be checked?

I really feel like I'd fill out more PlantFiles details while I happen to be in a specific cultivar if I knew what to enter.

Terry - any suggestions?

Brenda, did you ever find out?

I think one of the reasons people don't enter details is that it's a multi-step process. It might be easier if it were possible to enter all the details from one form at one time instead of having to click a separate link and post each detail separately. For example, I added an entry for Asiatic lily 'Brunello' http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/103246/index.html (not really my favorite but I thought it might be useful for comparison w/'Royal Sunset'). I remember it was so tedious to enter the details that I gave up after a while. I think it might be useful to provide "default" details for cultivars of a given species. For example, one could reasonably assume that most cultivars of bearded iris (Iris germanica) would have the same requirements. But some of them might be more or less cold-hardy, or more or less tolerant of wet soil, etc. and that could be noted in the individual details.

A search-related issue: Sometimes you know the genus but need to find the species, or know the genus and species but need to find the cultivar. PF has many entries with no picture and few if any details. For example, most of the entries for Hibiscus rosa-sinensis http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?search_type%5Bcommon%5D=contains&searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&search_type%5Bfamily%5D=contains&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&search_type%5Bgenus%5D=contains&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=hibiscus&search_type%5Bspecies%5D=equals&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=rosa+sinesis&search_type%5Bcultivar%5D=contains&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&search_type%5Bhybridizer%5D=contains&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&Search=Search&searcher[species]=rosa-sinensis are blank. All we have is a name - no picture or bloom color description. The advanced search form already lets you search by details, which works nicely for those entries where details have been entered. It would help if there were a search option "show only entries with pictures".

[Edited: Revised my original not-so-good idea of requiring at least some details to be entered for a new PF entry. Sometimes even with a mostly blank entry, just seeing the name is enough to jog your memory when searching. Having the blank entries does make it easier to add details later and reduces the chance of spelling errors.]


This message was edited Jun 19, 2005 10:53 AM

I've been working on the heucheras, trying to fill in some details, and it is tedious to be only to enter one detail at a time. However, it sometimes takes me awhile to complete one plant, because I research it to death trying to make sure I have it right.

I've been working on the iris genus, too. Just take a look at some that are filled out and copy that. OR, if you want to be certain, look up some border bearded varieties or intermediate bearded varieties and use that information (on those kinds of irises). I've learned (thanks to the PF admin) to check 3 sources before entering data, though, as some sites aren't accurate - nor do they seem to check things out. Anything that ends with a ".edu" is especially good as it's likely to have been researched.

I've been working on the iris details now too. I'm concentrating on the tall bearded right now, since that's the ones I know best by growing them, and I've obtained the information resources from the internet and library.

One thing I've not found in my iris research is seed collecting. I can't find any information on that, other than how the plant produces seed, and I see that most entries don't have anything checked off for that detail.

I'm reluctant to check off any of those details on the sparse information I have.

Anyone know?

Joan, for most of the hybrids, seed collecting is not going to be recommended.

Thanks Terry. That's what I was thinking too, but wasn't sure if it was okay to just check off that one, or the others also, since it IS possible to get seeds.

TomH3787:
When a new plant is added, the very next screen will give you the option to "set all details". Always do this, and you will not have to go in to each section to put in the details one at a time. Watch for it next time you add a plant and be ready to add the details at that time. If I am unsure of the details, I sometimes check on a similar cultivar or two first, to see what details were listed. Sometimes I leave a section blank if I really do not know the answer. But I always try to add every detail I can when I first add the plant. Hope this helps!

This only works if you are the one that entered the new plant.

If you are trying to click off some details on a plant thats already in the PF, that someone else entered, you have to go into the details one at a time. Very time consuming.