Is it too late to divide?

I was planning on waiting until spring to divide my two patches of white irises, because I don't have ID's on them. But yesterday I was weeding the bed and got a better look at how overcrowded they are. They're crawling all over each other!

Is it too late to divide them? I suppose I could put them in a temporary bed until they bloom next year and I can ID them. (I'm assuming it's impossible to trade without at least a photo, and better yet an ID.) Of course, I wonder if they will bloom next year if I divide them now...

Advice?

You can plant iris as long as the ground is not frozen
it MIGHT! delay blooming but waiting can lead to no bloom or reduced bloom due to over crowding. :)
A

Cool. That probably means I could also still pry up a corner of a clump to get a couple of rhizomes for a friend who wants some... :-)

Know anyone that would want to try an unidentified white? Some are all white, some have orange hmm, don't know the right word... fuzzy stripes (sorry can't look it up right now...)?

Really pretty!

would that be a beard
:)
A

Oh, yep! Sorry, I was sneaking a minute from work, and couldn't think straight or look it up :)

klstuart, are you looking to trade for other colors? I'm not concerned so much with names, but have been looking for some white bearded iris. There are some that were already here when I moved in last year, growing in a shady spot and very crowded. I assumed they were just some common, old variety (this is an old house, over 100 years) and that I wouldn't see blooms till they were divided and moved. While there were no blooms last year, this year there were several. There are 2 colors growing together, a medium blue self with large, ruffly blooms, and a plicata that is white with a wide purple band that I believe is 'Stepping Out'. I'd be happy to trade if you don't mind not knowing which is which till they bloom- I can dig several rhizomes to make sure you get some of each.
Neal

They sound wonderful! Blues and purples are perfect.

I'm in the same situation with the whites. I can look for old pictures, but I dont know how successful I'll be. I know one clump is all white, and one is the white with the orange beard... but not positive which is which. I can send you as many as you want, some of each, divided into the two groups.

Super! No need to worry about finding pics, white is all I need to know :-) I'll dmail ya.

klstuart, do you still have any to trade? I'm not looking for a lot, just a few would do but I HAVE been looking for local plants. The hous eis old, and I'd like to have things that were probably here when it began. I have some unknown old timey yellow I can share....:)

I can pick up, and deliver:))

margo

Margo, you're just in time! I'll send you a dmail.