I've still got my one second year seedling of Iris persica.
I potted it up, and I expect it will survive. It had what appeared to be a rootlet coming out of the bottom of the pot, and being as its a juno and likely to be weird about its roots, I got concerned about this. When Iturned it out of the pot, the rootlet turned out to be some fool dicot seed of species and genus unknown which had germinated deep in the medium and insinuated itself out of the pot. As I already had the persica infant turned into my hand, I put it in a new pot and watered it in, but I'd not have done so had I known that was not its root. I've been putting it on an outside windowsill in the sun each day, encouraging it to get a move on, then back into the little cool greenhouse at night. I dare not put it on the ground else a cat or sluggie find it.
Planifolia was actually one of the species I had in mind when I suggested Mark look to the Mediterranean irises. That, and perhaps foetidissima, lutescens with its subspecies and forms, including subbiflora, also vartani, unguicularis... I'm assuming anything from the South of France or Italy or Gibralter or the Iberian coasts might be worth a try. This might or might not be the case, of course, but by definition they should not have a need for cold.
AMW
-----Original Message-----
From: Diane Whitehead <voltaire@islandnet.com>
To: iris-species <iris-species@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wed, Jan 9, 2013 3:29 pm
Subject: [iris-species] Iris planifolia germinated
One thing about growing iris from seed - they're not going to over-run
your space.
Today I have germination from one of my seedlots from SIGNA 09:
Iris planifolia x self H.P.
I sowed the six seeds April 2, 2010.
A year ago I poked through the soil and found there were only four
seeds left.
Now, today, there is one healthy seedling and one seed still to go.
Iris planifolia dark, late from the same year, has not germinated yet.
In fact, of the 15 packets I bought that year, only four have
germinated so far.
I guess it would be worthwhile for me to look through my database for
all iris seeds I have sown through the years, and stop buying the
species that never germinate for me.
Or I should just stick to the easy ones: Pacific Coast and crested.
Diane Whitehead
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
cool mediterranean climate
moderate dry summers, moderate rainy winters
68 cm rain (27 in)
