The "Thrivelings"

Some of my iris have survived the iris borer war, and are thriving. Just haven't bloomed yet, so I don't know what I have. I quit trying to id them when I dug and doctored and stored and replanted. Going for survival of the fittest at the moment....I have another batch ready to replant, and will only replant the ones that are still alive and healthy looking. (duh!) I hope they don't turn out to be all the same cultivar, but at least they will be hefty and healthy. (Guess I can repopulate after I gain the upper hand on the borers.)

Maybe try some of the more well known historics when you repopulate. I imagine they are widespread, and well known, for a reason. If they have survived all these years in places where they were given no care, maybe they are more resistant to borers, and other disease.

Any of you experts care to comment on the historics being more resistant?

There were several varieties here on the farm that survived over the years, although the heavy stems usually flopped badly and pulled out easily after blooming. I assume there were borers, but I didn't know anything about them until I started to purchase new cultivars.
The varieties that were here (probably 40 years+) are the "grape kool-aid" one, a pale shorter cream, a bright yellow, and a two- toned burgundy. They grew and increased the more I divided them, but some years they got absolutely no care at all...
Does anyone know of the historic resistant varieties by name?

This message was edited Jul 28, 2007 10:32 AM

Well, I understand Crimson King is hard to kill, for a start. A lovely lady here just sent me some, so I'll know more in a couple years. I have the grape koolaid ones (pallida) also, and they have been on our property since around the turn of the last century, so obviously nothing hurts them.

Just did a google search for borer-resistant iris, and I found one site that claimed Iris with PBF (purple based foliage) is more resistant to borers. I found 2 links with long lists of pbf irises, one of which is Laurie F's and the other is: worldiris.com
There are a few names on the list that I recognize, but most are not familiar.

It seems to me that the older diploids are more resistant to borers. I suspect because they are smaller, and less juicy. However all iris including siberians and louisianas and pardancandas (really an irid) are fair game.
I also suspect that those iris that are quick increasers do not show as much borer damage, because they are able to put out enough increase to compensate for the number of rhizomes that have been attacked by borer. So it is possible that a n old historic clump will look like it is immune, but is actually sacrificing a few rhizomes to borer every season.
I think it would be unusual ( but I am sure it is possible) to have borer completely destroy a well established older clump. Look at all the old clumps of pallidas that have been growing in older yards and cemeteries untouched by eager irisarians hunting for borers...and they stlll survive.
Pallida, along with Quaker Lady, Mme Henri Cayeux, Indian Chief, Alcazar, Honorabile amongst others, seem to be able to deal with borers. I am not going to say they are resistant...but they cope with the nasties quite well.
Laetitia

Yes I think this is the story. The borers were here all along, but they were not overwhelming until they went on their high calorie fast food diet of the new flouncy ruffly irises.

I have oodles of old irises growing here - who knows how old, the house is well over 100 years old. I have never seen a single borer in them.

My mom has grown old timey irises at her house for many years that she dug from her old home place - again who knows how old - and they have never had any borers either.

I suppose it could be that it's just losing some rhizomes and I'm not seeing it, but I've never seen them in the smaller clumps I've moved either.

Do you know what the names of the oldies are? Have you ever had borers in your area?

I have no idea what these irises are. They could be 50 years old, 100 years old. I just planted my first newer bearded irises last fall so I have no idea whether there are borers around here.

But I know my mother had an awful time with borers in her fancier irises while nothing touched the old ones, even when they were growing close together.

I don't know what hers are either. They were ones my grandmother grew and had probably been passed down mother to daughter for a long time.

I don't think it is only my older ones that are the Thrivelings this year - they are too hefty. The older ones were more modest in general development. But, we will see if they bloom next year...Oh the agony! Oh the ecstasy!

I agree with Sugarbean about borers not completely decimating an established clump. They always seem to leave one or three rhizomes alone so that the plant grows back and they have their nutritional snack for next year.

I found two more clumps of iris that I need to dig that I over looked the first time through... *sigh* odie well. :)