RE: Iris pseudacorus

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Hi All,

Sean, would you be willing to go one step further than putting an article together for the bulletin, and head a committee to study whether SIGNA should take an official stand on pseudacorus?  Drop it from the exchange,  or communicate with states who are regulating it, or whatever? And if one or two others would like to join in?

Aside from the need to run the seed exchange responsibly, it would sure be a mess if SIGNA was found to be distributing the seeds in a prohibited area, and the differing regulations from state to state make that a possibility, I think.

Personally Iâm conflicted about it.  It certainly can be a pest here in the Finger Lakes region of NY.  Iâve seen ponds and wetlands completely choked with it.  When we were looking for a house four years ago, we saw one property with a pond, a desirable feature for us.  It was ringed with clumps of pseudacorus, and I knew Iâd never be able to eradicate it. 

On the other hand, itâs a valuable plant for hybridizing, producing some very garden-worthy plants. It would be a pity to deprive hybridizers, and the general public, of these.  I also know that it can be used in garden settings without fear of it getting loose, IF some attention is paid. I have a planting of several clumps of pseudacorus âPrimroseâ mixed with  sanguinea âViolaceaâ.   Of course, itâs hard to imagine a way of regulating it so that only the right people grow it.

Ken