Iris 2012

[RickR]

That is such a beauty, Dave!  One that is really piquing my interest in the last couple years. 

I too have noticed the seemingly sparse pollen on several of the small iris species.  I have begun to wonder the same thing: if the pollen grains I do see are really clumps of grains, rather than single grains, and the single grains are just extremely tiny.   When I have tried to do what limited hand pollinating I've done with them, success is no better than natural pollination! 

On the other hand, maybe I am just clumsy.

[Toole]

Thanks a lot Rick --so you do see some pollen with the naked eye ?....i saw nothing on my brush but i'll keep on trying anyway.

Cheers Dave.

[RickR]

Thanks a lot Rick --so you do see some pollen with the naked eye ?

Cheers Dave.

It has been my limited experience that these crested species that I have, (I. cristata, lacustrus, minutoaurea) seem to have very little pollen that I can find, but it's not completely absent.  I can't say that I've really investigated scientifically, but when I have looked, half of the stamens I pluck have no usable pollen that I can see.  The ones that do, just 1-3 grains (or clumps of grains?).  I've never checked I. tectororum or I. gracilipes, and my I. koreana and odaesanenesis from seed haven't flowered yet. 

I don't have any of the bulbous types more than a year old from seed. 

Of the bearded types, I. suaveolens varieties have enough pollen (but not abundant), and I have never investigated my I. lutescens varieties or I. attica.

[McDonough]

Was very surprised today to notice that a potful of Iris odaesanensis seed sown just about 3 weeks ago showed germination; hard to count accurately from the photo, but with 18 seedlings so far.  This is the first time seed of spring woodland Iris has germinated so quickly; typically they wait until the following spring to germinate.

[RickR]

Maybe sowing in high temperatures (relative to spring) is the trick? 

Did you soak them at all prior to sowing?

[McDonough]

Maybe sowing in high temperatures (relative to spring) is the trick? 

Did you soak them at all prior to sowing?

No, I did not soak the seed.  I'm guessing that prolonged high temperatures, combined with deluge tropical downpours from violent thunderstoms the last couple of weeks, might be responsible for early germination; but just guessing.

By the way, I have found that planting Iris odaesanensis on flat ground produces much better plant growth (perhaps getting more moisture) than planting on slopes.  Those that I had planted on a slope had rhizomes that all retreated uphill to reach flat ground, those on the slopes eventually dying out.

[Toole]

It has been my limited experience that these crested species that I have, (I. cristata, lacustrus, minutoaurea) seem to have very little pollen that I can find, but it's not completely absent.  I can't say that I've really investigated scientifically, but when I have looked, half of the stamens I pluck have no usable pollen that I can see.  The ones that do, just 1-3 grains (or clumps of grains?).  I've never checked I. tectororum or I. gracilipes, and my I. koreana and odaesanenesis from seed haven't flowered yet.  

I don't have any of the bulbous types more than a year old from seed.  

Of the bearded types, I. suaveolens varieties have enough pollen (but not abundant), and I have never investigated my I. lutescens varieties or I. attica.

Thanks again Rick.

Mark
I had to go and have a look at your photo on the PBS of Iris odaesanensis --what a beauty  

Cheers Dave.

[Fermi]

Fermi --i'm not sure if my 'unnamed 'Iris below is I.ret.purple gem ---whatever it is it's such a good 'doer' here  --quick to multiply and plenty of blooms.
Cheers Dave.

Hi Dave,
I think there is some confusion between 'Purple Gem' and 'Pauline'!

Here's another pic of 'Harmony' taken a week after the one I posted on August 01
- hard to say if it's spread through the Teucrium subspinosum or vice versa!
cheers
fermi

[Lori S.]

Wow, echoes (or previews?) of spring!  Beautiful, Fermi!

[Hoy]

I definitely have to try more of these spring flowering irises!

[deesen]

You certainly grow 'em well Fermi. Your hot, dry Summers seem to be the key.

[Toole]

A couple of Chinese sps out at the moment.

Iris bulleyana is a good 'doer' to about 60cm in height and increases strongly each season.

At the other end of the scale is Iris barbatula --individual blooms are short lived however given some moisture it has repeated.

Cheers Dave.

[bulborum]

Here Iris planifolia Pale blue form starts flowering
found by my wife while I was searching for a white form (and didn't find that day)

Roland