Can I plant under a magnolia?

Hi All

I just received a collection from Sutton's with lots of bonus tubers.

I need to make a place for them. I have great soil but limited sun.

I have a notion that I can plant them near the street but under a magnolia facing south. They would be at least 2 hours morning and 2 hours afternoon sun. I plan to put down a layer of newspaper to kill the ratty St. Augustine grass and a layer of compost on that.

Any admonitions?
thank you
cynthia

All I know is that iris's need 6-8 hours of sun per day. I have a row of iris's that are up against a block wall, they don't get as much sun as the 22 other rows that get sun all day, although the foliage is much greener than the rest, the ones against the wall don't bloom as well as the others in the sun all day. I am seriously thinking about moving that whole row to where they'll get more sun. Hope that helps.

If you plant iris in a space like that you will get very green foliage that generally falls over because it is reaching for the light. I have iris planted just outside the drip line of a magnolia but they get sun until about 3:00. I can plant dahlias under a magnolia though and they are leggy but bloom. Isn't that weird?

Magnolias are very dense trees and if it's an evergreen magnolia you'd have to keep up with it to keep the iris from getting buried. Those are just the messiest trees, as much as I love the blossoms.

I would recommend that you plant the ones you have closer together in more light rather than plant them in the shade. That might solve your problem. It means dividing more often but it would be worth it.

Oh yes, Doss, the foliage on the ones by the block wall are beautiful but you're right, they need more light. I'm thinking of putting my LA's there and moving these to where the LA's are, more sun there and the LA's tolerate less sun.

Ok

Does that really mean full Sun in Texas????

Can I Plant them in with roses? I have a narrow bed that supports roses and is well drained. I could plant to one side and in between It's too hot to sustain daylilies except in the spring.

sorry to be a pain...can you tell I want to do right by these beauties?

c

I'm in Southern California and it gets HOT here too, mine are all in full sun. You are not a pain! I don't see why you can't plant them with your roses as long as they're getting sun there.

Irises can take some shade in hotter climates, as long as they get 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It sounds like they'd get less than that under your Magnolia, though. If you have an area that you're growing daylilies in, it would be right for your irises as well.

You can also grow them along with your roses. The only caution I would add about that is that roses like a high nitrogen fertilizer~which can mean rot to your bearded irises.

THanks all

The magnolia tree is a no. I'll plant some on the edge of my roses and others in a slight slope that get really hot sun. It's hard to keep this area watered but I will be more diligent with these beauties in there.

great smiles of appreciation

cynthia

Good luck Cynthia, you'll do fine.