who can explain in everyday words the difference in spuria

and louisianna's and pseudocorus and whatever other kinds of iris that there are? i could go read it but i wish somone would just 'splain it to me. yes i'm lazy but maybe you like to talk.
a win/win situation it looks to me like. lol.

The ones you mention are beaqrdless iris. Bearded iris have a fuzzy structure on the falls. Louisana are a combination of 4 species native to the southern US. I. pseudocorus is an Euopean species which clogs waterways here, usually is yellow.

I'll give it a shot.

All the ones you mentioned, as IrisMA said are beardless. They all have rhizomes, none are bulbs.

Spuria look like Dutch Irises. They can be from very short to very tall, 5" to 5'. They come in shades of blue, yellow, white, brown and lavender. Blooms last quite awhile, up to a month. They are native to Europe and the Far East.

Here's a spuria from Dees website.

http://www.snowpeakiris.com/newweb/images/spuria/adriaticblue08.jpg

Pseudacorus is commonly know as yellow flag. They are yellow. Native to Europe and Africa, they are tall, about 4 feet. As has been said many times, they are considered invasive in many states.

Here's a picture of pseudacorus.

http://www.missouriplants.com/Yellowalt/Iris_pseudacorus_page.html

Louisiana irises are native to the US, growing wild from the Mississippi River Delta to Ohio. They come in colors of blue, lavender, yellow, white, pink, and orange red. Each flower lasts about three days. Their height is from about one foot to six feet.

Here's a picture of a Louisiana.

http://www.soulofthegarden.com/Images/April04LouisianaIris.jpg

Clear as mud?

Good for you,Polly.

but don't some spuria look like louisianas? or vice versa? i have a white flower and now a yellow flower that i don't know what is. the yellow one doesn't have that little spot beneath where a tb beard would be that shows on that pseudocorus picture. i really have to learn to use a camera.

The louisiana look cute. They grow in OH? How hardy are they?

We can grow them here. It does depend on the cultivar.

Any you want to share?

We can grow them, just don't any more--too busy with seedlings as you know. celtics won so will get a decent night's sleep.

No the spurias don't look like Louisianas. The signal, I think that's what you're referring to, is more pronounced on some Louisianas then others. Spurias don't have a prominent signal. A picture would help, LOL. If your white or yellow iris doesn't have the signal, it's not a pseudacorus.

Jumper2, Louisianas are pretty hardy. Many of them are hardy to Z5, possibly Z4. They are lovely.



This message was edited May 12, 2009 11:10 PM

would pseudocorus grow in hot, dry texas without summer water? because these yellow iris are established but she never waters them. and yes....signal....that's the word. see why i need yall.

They might survive. I would be suprised if they would thrive. Spurias need a lot of water to get established, once they do they are pretty drought tolerant. Louisianas and pseudacorus normally need a lot of water. Both are native to wetlands. Spurias are not.

So nice to be needed, LOL.

sounds like i need to invest in some spuris iris. who sells them?

Snowpeak has a nice selection.

http://www.snowpeakiris.com/

Aitkens also carries them. I'm not familiar with who else does, as I don't have any, but I will be trying some too.

that 2nd one on denise's page named archie something looks similar to my iris. and my lady got her start from an old house place in rockwall. where did spuria come from?

Origionally? Europe to the Far East. Many are native to Turkey. The first one introduced as far as I know was in England.

Thanks Polly, I may have to try some.

IrisMA, I'm glad they won and you got some sleep. They don't get much of a rest though.

irisma...... it looks like you are one of the local iris experts, is that right? do you hybridize? why do you know so much? hahahaha

irisMA, is a hybridizer as well as her husband and they are both wonderful people, freely giving advise and help at all turns.

D

oh....and there's another one. yall are so smart. i need to buy some plants from you. when does the sale start? do i need to host a co-op? lol.

We mainly work with the smaller irises, this year between Dr. & dental appointments. Why do they want to schedule things in iris season?

They always schedule all appointments during the bloom. I finally have my doctors educated big time...except if sick.

LOL
D

IrisMa sometimes uses me as a test garden. Most of my irises come from her. They are either theirs or some she thinks I might like. She hasn't been wrong yet.

IrisMA's husband John intro'd my favorite little iris, Suslik.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/versicolor/3412838905/

They are both hybridizers, Lucy and John Burton.

wow!! what a beard!! is that a sdb?

I'll let Lucy tell you all about it. And what it's named after is cute.

iris pumila. what?!!!!!!!!!!! another kind? it's a miniature dwarf, isn't it?

I. pumila is a mountain species from central Europe. The seeds which produced 'Suslik' came from the Caucasus. Named after a rapidly reproducing marmaset, sort of a big ground squirrel (and we worry about chipmunks). Robert Schreiner imported pumila seeds in the 1950s. They produced a smaller iris when crossed with tall bearded irises which turned into the standard dwarf class. Pumila are very small as a rule, 'Suslik' being 4". Will tell J. about his change of name.

Opening a whole new world for you here?

Iris pumila is a minature dwarf. It's a very diverse species that is a tetraploid from a natural hybrid of iris attica and iris pseudopumila (to the best of researchers knowledge). Singular flowers are usually yellow or purple. Color of beards also vary. Usually fragrant. Pumila has been used extensively in breeding modern dwarf irises.

Lucy will tell you more. That's what they specialize in, I think.

we can't grow miniatures down here i don't think. 4 inches!! how sweet and with that big 'ol beard. it's all beard.

Oops, sorry, Lucy, we cross posted.

I noticed before on that site his name was listed as Tom. There aren't very many pictures out there of Suslik, and none in plant files. We need to fix that. It's such a lovely little thing. And those beards....

There was a thread with pumila pictures this spring, educational to us as we had never seen yellow flowers with Suslik as a parent. all known ones, ours & SIGNA seeds had all been purple. It was nice to find out about the yellow ones. Pumilas can also be violet, white or blue. One was posted which had cream standards & bluish falls. Amazing information.

It is a better picture than any which we have.

Well, I'll just have to see if i can get a picture for plant files, then.

Most of my info comes from Irises by Claire Austin. I always hope she's right, as I don't know any better otherwise. I am fascinated by the bearded species, as you know, and am trying to learn all I can about them. I love the beardless species too.

Prodan (aphylla) has opened. Picture still in the camera, we still use film. If it didn't come out, will try again.

Can't wait to see it. Did I see a picture of it once on Iris Colorado?

I don't know. Remember I am new to computers.

How di Dad take his name change? I hadn't seen that one before(pumila) It's very striking.

Sort of hummphed--you know how he is. The site said that it had been viewed 80 times which interested. Didn't think that something so small would do in your garden, that's why we never sent the pumilas. After all with not much space, you want something to show like 'Margaret'.

Too true. I found her under the grass today! Thought you'd like to know.