[PHOTO] Iris cretensis #1

Here is a zoom.  The flower bud started unfurling late last night.  This
morning I found it fully open and loaded with fluffy pollen, so I
immediately went to work.  You can kinda see the pollen I smeared all over
the stigmatic lip.

The style arms on this one had really long and feathery tips.  I don't
remember that from last year.  Also, the flowers from last year had a white
stripe that looked like a snake's tongue.  This one is just a solid white
stripe.

The flower is approximately 2.5" tall on an 8" stalk.  And almost 3"
across.  This is much taller than last years flowers.  Oh, and yes, it
smells heavenly!

I haven't detected any other buds coming up, but last year it bloomed
sporadically from December through February.  It has increased quite nicely
so I'm hoping to see lots more flowers soon.

It is so wonderful to have irises bloom in winter.  It really chases away
that cabin fever and helps me forget that spring is still 2 or 3 months
away.

JPEG image

Dennis Kramb; dkramb@badbear.com
Cincinnati, Ohio USA; USDA Zone 6; AIS Region 6
http://www.badbear.com/dkramb/home.html
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