Re: Iris vartanii

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Here are the photos again at a smaller size - 200k is about the best I
could do without better software or reducing them to nothing.

I've only had I. vartanii since this past fall, so it's too early to
say anything about its survivability here. It's in the most protected
location I've got - an eastern exposure wall that gets sun until about
1 PM this time of year and is completely protected from prevailing
winds. The leaves emerged within a few weeks of planting in the fall
and are completely undamaged, though there was unusually good snow
cover this year. I only temporarily added mulch to prevent mud from
splashing on the flower.

I've had xiphium hybrids out in the open for at least five years with
only some leaf mulch to protect them. The leaves emerge in the fall
and whatever is above the mulch is killed, but they bloom every year.
I've also got I. tuberosa against a west wall with poor sun and no
mulch, and the leaves are only sometimes damaged during winter (they
rarely bloom, though).

Sean Z
Zone 5b/6a
SE Michigan

Quoting C*@aol.com:

>
> I thought I understood that I. vartanii Foster was either not very
> hardy, or prone in colder climates to weakening and eventual demise
> due to loss of too-early-emerging foliage. How long have you had
> that species, and how are you growing it? Thanks, AMW
>
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sean A. Zera <z*@umich.edu>
> To: i*@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Fri, Mar 18, 2011 2:56 pm
> Subject: [iris-species] bloom!
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>
> The earliest irises in my garden are finally in bloom. Here's
> bakeriana, histrio aintabensis and vartanii.
>
> Sean Z
> Zone 5b/6a
> SE Michigan
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