Belated introduction
- Subject: Belated introduction
- From: S* M* <S*@UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU>
- Date: Sun, 18 Feb 96 11:42:19 MST
I just realized I had sent my first post to the list prior to any sort of
introduction ... I'm Steve Marak, living in NW Arkansas, USDA zone 6b. My
plant interests are too wide for my budget, and one of those is Iris, as well
as other genera within the Iridaceae (arguably, I'm told, making me a complete
Iridiot).
I have a couple of beds of TB hybrids, some Louisianas, a couple of Siberians,
some of which I have names for and some of which are hand-me-downs from
relatives and are grown for mostly sentimental reasons. I have had one brief,
disastrous affair with a couple of oncocyclus which ended in heartbreak (they
pined away, I was heartbroken).
While I like hybrids very much, I find species fascinating and am trying to
expand my knowledge and collection, mostly via seed from seed exchanges and
an internet friend who has shared his extras.
The most common native species here is, of course, Iris cristata, nearly
everywhere in moist areas. (A quick question: I've heard that the white form
of I. cristata is less vigorous than the usual - in my case, the white form,
a propagation from a local population, is not only vigorous but completely
overwhelmed the normal form within a few years. Anyone else seen this?)
I. brevicaulis, I. fulva, I. verna, and I. virginica also occur within the
state but (with the possible exception of virginica) are much less common.
I. pseudacorus (which I resolutely refuse to pronounce pseu-DAC-orus, to the
amusement and irritation of the truly knowledgable) has escaped near my home,
and since the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department propagates it
every year (by mowing it in late summer, and uprooting large clumps) I've
established a nice stand of it as well.
I've been haunting gardening lists on the Internet for years now, but have
seldom seen one start up and reach a steady stream of postings as this one -
congratulations to Tom, and thanks for starting it.
-- Steve Marak
-- SAMARAK@UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU or SAMARAK@UAFSYSB.BITNET
