I’m not talking about those big,
beautiful bearded iris (they won’t last here), rather I am thinking of
so-called walking iris. True, they are
one-day-wonders, but if you have a big patch of them, they will all bloom on
the same day, then wait a day, then all bloom again. I have no idea why they do this, but having
asked everybody who grows them, I find that every person has the same
experience.
Walking iris (Iris) are
named for their habit of growing flowers on long stems which eventually get an
“air” root system which becomes increasingly heavy. The stem falls over, the root starts to
attach to the soil and grow another plant – hence it “walked” to a new
location. They are quite “polite” in
their spreading habit, and easy to pull out if your patch gets too big. A little morning or mid-day sun and regular
water is all they need. These patches
also grow pretty densely, so weeds are discouraged from growing except on the
edge.
The
most common species is Neomarica
gracilis. It is white with royal blue accents.
A second type that
I have seen a lot is the yellow with brown specks -- Neomarica
longifolia.
A third type, and not very common is
the sky-blue Neomarica caerulea.
All three can be easily grown
in this area. They are pretty
cold-hardy, but their leaves can get ratty looking after a freeze (just cut
them off). They bloom in late March or
early April, and are a welcome sight in your barely awakening garden.
May
your horticultural results be as fulfilling as your gardening diligence.
Martha Dysart
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