Re: blue-eyed grass and borers

--- In iris-species@yahoogroups.com, irischapman@n... wrote:
"I can believe that boarer would  eat blue-eyed grass but only in 
areas where there is massive clumps...."

Chuck, I'm glad you mentioned this.  I have been startled by the 
general tone of disbelief in response to my mentioning borer found in 
*Sysrinchium* clumps here.  

I don't remember the species name of our local native, although I 
have seen it in print somewhere along the line. What I recall seeing 
was not "montanum," but the source book was hardly authoritative.

The clumps lack rhizomes, that is true, but the plant can and does 
form extensive mats, although not "yards" in diameter, merely 
inches.  Some mats have reached a foot in diameter.  The little thing 
is very aggressive and grows exhuberantly with adequate fertility and 
sun.

The borers observed probably do starve, but they do get a good start 
in and around the bases of the fans.  The ones seen were fairly small 
still.

I have never had any evidence any migrated to the irises.  Their 
presence, however, says something about the rich environment for 
borer here. 

There have been speculations about some iris varieties immune or 
resistant to borer attack.  I can say that 'Poem of Ecstasy' is 
certainly not one of them.  Every single fan except one in two 
established clumps was found to have small larvae working down toward 
the rhizomes.  I hope I have found them all.  'Fogbound,' on the 
other hand, and all of its offspring I've checked seem to be clean. 
This has made a tentative believer of me about possible "resistance" 
or at least lack of attractive flavor for borers in some varieties.

Neil Mogensen  zone 7  western NC mountains



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