Iris cristata and small woodland Iris

[Lori S.]

Nice batch of plants- sounds like a great event to attend What are the pink flowers- first glance I was thinking Phalaenopsis (tropical orchids), which of course can't be...lol

The pink flowered plant is Phlox stolonifera 'Wister Pink'.  All of these carpeting woodland phlox are wonderful garden plants, easy and indestructable, but as the name implies (stolonifera) it's a spreader, and must be given room to spread.  There are many many named cultivars of this Eastern USA species.  Here's a photo showing the plant and the creeping stoloniferous runners.

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Interesting, don't think I've seen any of these, something to look into and watch for if they are hardy enough..

Phlox stolonifera is completely hardy here, Cohan.

[Hoy]

The pink flowered plant is Phlox stolonifera 'Wister Pink'.  All of these carpeting woodland phlox are wonderful garden plants, easy and indestructable, but as the name implies (stolonifera) it's a spreader, and must be given room to spread.  There are many many named cultivars of this Eastern USA species.  Here's a photo showing the plant and the creeping stoloniferous runners.

I wish they were indestructable! I have tried several forms of stolonifera and would love to see them going rampant in my woodland. No chance. Slugs

[cohan]

Nice batch of plants- sounds like a great event to attend What are the pink flowers- first glance I was thinking Phalaenopsis (tropical orchids), which of course can't be...lol

The pink flowered plant is Phlox stolonifera 'Wister Pink'.  All of these carpeting woodland phlox are wonderful garden plants, easy and indestructable, but as the name implies (stolonifera) it's a spreader, and must be given room to spread.  There are many many named cultivars of this Eastern USA species.  Here's a photo showing the plant and the creeping stoloniferous runners.

Interesting, don't think I've seen any of these, something to look into and watch for if they are hardy enough..

Phlox stolonifera is completely hardy here, Cohan.

Thanks, Lori, definitely one to watch for then, though a quick search tells me I need to be careful of the colour of the cultivar- some are a little too similar in colour to the Geranium himalayense we have so much of in one of my least favourite shades....lol ( a sort of electric purply blue- I like violet, I like pink, I like blue, just not that particular shade of any of them!)

[Tim Ingram]

Those irises are delectable - especially minutoaurea which is completely new to me. Great photos of Rick's and Mark's - are there other species with such small but perfect flowers? I've always liked the Pacific Coast Irises but they are not that widely grown here - good balance of foliage and flowers.

[RickR]

Iris gracilipes is another nice little one.  I grow the white form:

        

[McDonough]

Iris gracilipes is another nice little one.  I grow the white form:

Rick, good portraits, the white form of gracilipes is such a beauty. I have forms of I. gracilipes growing among so many other things that I can't quite adequately capture the delicate graceful growth of the plant, with such fine stems arching upwards to present the flowers.  None of mine have opened their buds yet, and I fear I shall miss them when I'm traveling all of the next week.

I need to get the regular lavender and white form, what I'm growing is the dwarf white "Buko form", some seedlings from it that grow a little taller, and the named selection from Garden Vision Epimediums named I. gracilipes 'Cobblewood Charm', an intermediate size form with lavender flowers.  Here is a photo of my plant budded, with Phlox 'Chattahoochee' in the backgrown, the beautiful phlox in full bloom for a month now, one of the very best woodland phlox IF it likes your garden.



Iris verna 'Brumback Blue' opened some more flowers, looking colorful catching sunlight.

[RickR]

More pics of Iris minutoaurea I dug up in my files:

              

        

And from today, Iris lacutris at 4-5 inches high:

        

[McDonough]

More pics of Iris minutoaurea I dug up in my files:

And from today, Iris lacutris at 4-5 inches high:

Rick, excellent study portraits of Iris minutoaurea, the inner petals just like tiny boat oars or paddles.  I'm reminded by your photos of the lovely I. lacustris, this is another species that I lost over the last several years, planted in the wrong place and succumbing to drought; must get it back, it is such a sweet little species. 

[cohan]

I lacustris is really cute What sort of conditions does this like, Rick?

[Hoy]

Cohan, lacustris = from the lake (lacus)

I've tried it once but like other gems, the slugs like me find them irresistible.

[cohan]

So it needs to be wet? Maybe not, since Rick has said he has no wet garden beds!

[RickR]

I suspect "lacustris" refers to the fact that it is found native only near the shores of the upper great lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan).  Iris lacustris certainly does not need wet conditions.  It often grows in rocky outcrops and with little soil and full sun, although I don't know if that is the norm.  Mine grow in mostly shade, in rich, dry soil infested with maple roots.  A very adaptable plant.

[Hoy]

I suspect "lacustris" refers to the fact that it is found native only near the shores of the upper great lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan).  Iris lacustris certainly does not need wet conditions.  It often grows in rocky outcrops and with little soil and full sun, although I don't know if that is the norm.  Mine grow in mostly shade, in rich, dry soil infested with maple roots.  A very adaptable plant.

Good to know! I was thinking "lacustris" meant on the (wet) shore.
I looked at my irises today and it's a sad sight. Almost all the leaves are damaged by slugs although I've been out every evening killing them. The cool weather makes the plants growing very slowly and the slugs get the upper hand

[McDonough]

Back from a week of training in Dallas Texas for my job, I noticed my newly purchased Iris cristata 'Montrose White' most leaf fans had collapsed and detach at the slightest touch. There were a few small slugs around the pot, which I disposed of, I suspected they were the culprit.  Overnight, the rest of the leaves were damaged and fell off, I think more is going on.  I washed all soil off, looking for view weevil larvae or adults, found none, but directly below where I was working I found a brown marmorated stink bug (an invasive here) that may have been the source of damage.

The roots are still looking healthy, so I will replant this someplace and hope that the now naked rhizome rejuvenates.

[McDonough]

Iris gracilipes 'Cobblewood Charm' is in full bloom, floriferous and elegant.  This introduction by Darrell Probst is a hybrid between the dwarf white form known as "Buko" and regular I. gracilipes, this selection inheriting some of the compact size from "Buko".  The flowers are beautifully marked.