Walter,
PCIs might do well in a greenhouse; most don't like really cold
winters or baking heat in the summer. Many do best in light shade,
at least where summers are hot. They should be kept dryish during
the summer - the leaves remain green, but they are mostly
dormant. If you are concerned about cold, Wild Survivor has I.
tenax in it which contributes to cold hardiness.
Iris speculatrix is a very pretty species. It is the most
southerly of all members of the genus, growing in Hong Kong. With
enough protection it may survive zone 6, but thrives here in zone
9.
If you are interested in small spurias you might like subsp.
maritima and I. sintenisii. I don't know what they need in terms
of winter protection from cold, but are small enough for a
greenhouse.
Iris tuberosa has a neat black and green flower that looks similar
to a dutch iris. It grows easily from seed but plan on 5 years or
so before the first blooms. I have lots of blooms this year on
plants grown from 2009 seed; I think I had at least one bloom two
years ago.
Ken Walker
Concord, CA USA
On 2/24/2016 1:09 PM, Walter Pickett w*@yahoo.com
[iris-species] wrote:
I
am interested in getting some seed of tropical iris
relatives as houseplants. I also have a 200 square foot
greenhouse that is kept cool (cold) for citrus. I can't
raise lemons or limes, but the citrus that can take a
mild freeze, like mandarins, do well there without
expensive heat. I think I. ungulantarus (sorry about
the spelling) might bloom there during the winter, and
the PCNs might survive there over the winter. Do you
think they might? Most of what I know about species iris
and irids is that eupogons and arils do fine here with
no attention. Well, weeding helps. Old TBs are found in
old cow pastures where they were planted by settlers
whose houses are long gone. So they really do do OK
with no attention.
I also
grew "Candy Lilies" from seeds from PARKS about 30 years
ago without much care, so they might be on my list this
year.
And 2 of
my aunts grew spurias, probably "White Heron" and
"Chrysler Imperial" if I remember right. They took over
my aunts yards over a period of about 50 years. Not
weedy, just good grower in this climate. I had starts
from them for many years but lost them when moving.
And
sisyrhincium "Blue Eyed Grass" is native here in slighty
wetter parts of native prairie.
Last year
I didn't buy any seeds. By the end of the sale I was
tired of seeds, But the public library just got in a
new book Beardless Iris, and I am thinking of growing
some. Advice is welcome.
Walter
Pickett
Posted by: Walter Pickett
w*@yahoo.com
