Re: CULT: iris patch observations

From: "Donald Eaves" <donald@eastland.net>

Hello Folks,

Spring commenced here in dry Texas some time ago.  This
is consistent from cultivar to cultivar.  Traditionally the last iris
to move out of winter dormancy here has been I. pallida variegata.
True to form this cultivar only started new growth this past week.
On the other hand, GOLD REPRISE has two bud stalks and one
has already emerged from the fans.  This doesn't surprise me
since it has been a very strong grower so far, though I have yet
to see a bloom.  I watched three sturdy stalks loaded with buds
(one showing color) freeze last fall.  Many of the irises are
comparable in their stage of growth to GR.  

But all is not really good.  This year there are a number of irises
not doing well.  They have a burned look.  Much as if they had
been sprayed with poison (not!).  Early on I thought they were not
going dormant enough and that freezing nights were causing the
problem, but no longer believe that is the case.  They will put up
apparently healthy central fan growth, but then it turns brown
and has a scorched look.  It is not confined to one iris bed or even
to a specific area within a bed.  The affected plants may be entirely
surrounded by healthy growing plants.  It also is not confined only
to the beardeds.  On my original clump of spurias, about 1/8 of the
entire clump is doing the same thing.  On this it appears to be one
original rhizome and all the associated increase of that rhizome.  It
is occurring also on one LA.  Again one of three original rhizomes
and the associated increase.  I can't determine any pattern.  Affected
plants range from being established for several years in the same
location (even one of the old grandmothers!) to newly acquired rhizomes
and to some clumps divided last fall.  On these last, again not every
rhizome seems affected.  The new fan growth on those which have
exhibited these symptoms the longest is no longer coming out looking
healthy.  Their color is not too bad, with only a touch of yellow, but
they have a wilted look and feel to the touch and they are not growing
well.  I've been digging some up today.  I can't see anything wrong.  No
aphids, no apparent sign of nematodes in the roots, no sign of rot.  The
roots, though, are clearly languishing and dieing away with not much
sign of any new root nodes.  Frustrating.

Another unhappy phenomena on the beardeds is some knurled fan
growth.  I've had this before, but not to the extent it is appearing this
year.  Sometimes this has been indicative of a bud, but often plants
which have done this have poor increase and those with this sort of
growth never do much of anything.  Usually, the new increases will
not exhibit this and eventually will develop into regular plants which
grow normally and increase normally.  I can only hope.

I'm inclined to blame this on our weather as a root cause if not the
direct cause.  Last fall turned out to not be a good year for dividing
and moving irises.  More than half of those have not done well and
that is not my usual experience.  I just hope there isn't an iris virus
which has attacked.

Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7


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