RE: Verna vs cristata foliage?
iris-photos@yahoogroups.com
  • Subject: RE: Verna vs cristata foliage?
  • From: &* F* <d*@nyc.rr.com>
  • Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2010 22:16:12 -0400
 

I once saw a clump of I. verna in bloom on the shoulder of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Confused the heck out of me because it wasn’t I. cristata and it wasn’t in my wildflower books. That was a long time ago, and I don’t have the pictures online, but I remember the foliage as more erect than in your photo. Then again, maybe the foliage is more upright earlier in the spring, during flowering.

 

We need someone who’s actually grown it and seen it year round.

 

From: iris-photos@yahoogroups.com [mailto:iris-photos@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Linda Mann
Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 11:19 AM
To: iris-photos@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [iris-photos] Verna vs cristata foliage?

 

 

I hope someone can help me with this - is it possible to distinguish I.
verna from I. cristata without blooms?

I volunteered to help with biological inventory of the new tract of land
next to Frozen Head State Natural Area in Morgan County TN, & ran across
this clump of iris foliage. It was at about 3000 ft elevation, on an
old logging road, west facing side of the mountain. Odd habitat for
cristata, which was present at the base of the mountain, and odd growth
form for cristata, which usually spreads out rather than growing in a
clump like this. I. verna is a possibility in this area, & the supposed
verna that I have has a growth habit very much like this. But mine
hasn't ever bloomed, so for all I know, it isn't really verna.

It's a rugged hike up there, plus lots of rattlesnakes and copperheads,
so it would be nice not to have to go back.

Thanks in advance.

I seem to have let my subscription to the species group lapse - will
also try there after I dig up instructions on how to set to nomail.

Linda Mann
east TN

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