Iris for naturalizing?

Don't know if that makes sense, but thought i'd ask. I've bought "Daffodils for naturalizing", and what it seemed to mean was they sent me a good amount of Daffodils that were smallish, un-named and not guaranteed to be anything but yellow :). I'm looking for the same kind of thing, but in Irises (Irisi?). I have bought some of the very beautiful specific varieites, but I have a space that really needs a bunch flowers, and the daffodils will soon be gone. I'd like to add Iris, but more the ones I remember as a kid, the blue/purple ones that grew up all around my Mom's back yard.
Some kind DG'ers have sent me this kind from their own gardens, but those are special, and will stay close to the house.
What I want is some that will be happy being "wild" for want of a better word, can I find some that will be happy this way?
Your help, as always, appreciated....
Margo

how about the 'walking irises'?

I've seen them planted in mass or drifts, and it was gorgeous in bloom.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/b/Iridaceae/Neomarica/none/cultivar/0/

Sigh. It seems it's too cold here for them. The beardeds seem to be happy, so I'll keep looking for a source for bulk purchase.
Thanks for the idea, I may try some in pots....

I don't know if this would work in SC, but this plant grows wild in this state filling huge meadows. Huge meadows are full of them making a glorious site in May:

iris missouriensis see:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/31802/

Not sure how it would do in hot climates though. LA Iris will definitely naturalize but they might make your lawn look like a jungle.

I have found iris pallida, the green leaf variety to 'naturalize' pretty well. They take more shade, and can handle more water than other bearded. They can compete with grass and other weeds.

Here's a picture of them growing in a grassy area at the side of the deck. They get weed whacked down along with the grass a few times each year.

Those iris pallida are georgeous. I could stand a lawn full of those.

Pollyk, those would be perfect, but i wonder if they could stand the heat. I'll look into them, thanks!

Still looking for a "bulk" source......

I suspect that most of the bearded iris that come from dry arid areas would not naturalize in SC, but would in areas like NM. From experience in Minnesota, even bearded iris growing in poor, gravelly soil will not successfully compete (in the long term) with native flora and introduced weeds. But the iris that prefer more moisture (like I.pallida), and maybe siberians, and if you have shade without high growing competition - Iris cristata, might. Iris cristata grows well amongst low growing Pennsylvania sedge.

Leftwood wrote;"I suspect that most of the bearded iris that come from dry arid areas would not naturalize in SC,"

Well, this is where I get lost. There are lots of Bearded Iris here, and from where they're planted, I suspect they've been here a long time. The problem with them is that they're all yellow. Very pretty, but all yellow. There's a patch of multicolored Iris in town that has apparently been there for years, and it's wonderful. I'll see if I can get a pic when they bloom...

I have to learn about the different kinds of Iris. I have lots of shade, so I'll just jump on in:).

Thanks!

Yes, there are ton of bearded iris growers here too that have great success. But naturalizing them in an environment where they are not originally adapted is a different story. Have you seen bearded iris abandoned and overgrown with weeds and native flora for years, and still flourishing there? Then I am wrong. In general, that's just not so for my area, although I would say that it takes about 8 years for a nice clump to diminish to an unsatisfactory point, but losing vigor and size each year.

Iris pallida is not from the arid west Asia, but Europe. It should be a better choice, and more likely with some shade tolerance compared to the newer hybrid beards.

Oh, you may well be right! I haven't been here long enough to really know, and the locals just think of them as something that's "always been there". I've seen some at abandoned homesites, but not a lot, and certainly not like the Daffodils.
I appreciate your help, and will be searching for the Iris pallida as soon as I fifnish here....
Thanks!

When we bought our property, there was at one time an old house on it, the cellar remained. We assume the house was around 100 years old, as that's the last time a road went by it. Around the house were syringa vulgaris, the common purple kind, and from the looks of it, there were 2 bushes planted, which expanded over the years to about 60 feet.

The first year we were here, I saw iris leaves peeking out in the syringa. I battled my way in, and there were 100s of irises under the syringa. I dug some out and planted them, and they were the pallidas.

I doubt they bloomed under there, with no sun, but this attests to how hardy they are. I have no idea if they naturalized or not. They all seemed to be in a group, so I assume they just spread. Some were in an area that was very wet, some quite dry. All in heavy shade.

A few years ago, I missed a clump in a place where we were bulldozing. They got bulldozed and spread around some, and back up they came.

Well, it looks like they'd be fun to try, but that I'll have to hit the lottery to do it. They seem to run about $7 the cheapest i could find, so it's back to the drawing board *G*!

Thanks for all the help....

Superstition has Princess Beatrice, a green leaved pallida for 5.00. If you start with a couple they will spread fast.

Thanks PollyK. I did want the green leaves rather than the variegated. I'm very afraid to go to the Superstition site, tho....I know it will be expensive....I have no resistance, especially when today will be 70 and breezy.......

While Superstition has their new introductions at the market price for new plants, they have plenty of older ones at lower prices. In agreement one can't stop people from ordering bunches of "oldies but goodies".

This clump of Iris lutecian started with a single rhizome 5 years ago. In that time I have given away over 150 plants. It takes a lot of abuse and keeps going
:)
Anita

Thanks Anita, that's encouraging :). Off to look up Iris lutecian....

Here's Iris lutescens:

http://www.badbear.com/signa/signa.pl?Iris-lutescens

This is a great site for all the species iris.

Thanks Pollyk...
So much to learn. I thought this was a simple project. As usual, wrong.......*G*