RE: Iris Germanica/Albicans

Barb Rigby wrote:
> 
> 3 questions:  What is an Albican?  Is the moraea also called a butterfly iris?
> Does anyone out their grow spurias?  I haven't seen any discussion of them.
> 
> Why don't pink or orange iris grow well in England?  Is it the soil?  It's
> clay where I'm at so we import dirt and/or create our own.
> 
Barb,

Albicans is a very old white iris of intermediate height.  It was spread
from Yemen throughout the Mediterranean area and into Spain by the
Mohammedans, who planted it at their grave sites.  

Morea Aristata has been called *Peacock iris* at times.  It is an irid,
which is not a true iris, in the genera morea, but closely aligned with
iris.  At one time it was classified an iris(iris pavonia).

I grow a couple dozen Spurias.  They do quite well for me.  I let the
foilage die back in our hot summers and withhold water totally from
about July 1, to mid-September.  They like a rich, humusy(is this
correct) soil.

As for pink/orange iris not doing well in England, I would have to
assume it would be the climate more so than the soil.  Perhaps Graham
could expand on this.

Rick Tasco
Central California
Zone 8.5
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