SPEC: I. lacustris and tectorum

From: "Ian E. & Shirley Efford" <avocet.intl@sympatico.ca>

Through a friend, I obtained some I. lacustris from an old lady who, I
am told, has been growing it for 50 years and has a very large area
covered with the plant.  Unfortunately, she does not wish to have
visitors and so I cannot go to see it.  I divided my small piece into
three.  They overwintered and then one died a slow deliberate death. 
Another, in what appears to be idea natural conditions, is feeble and
may pass away if it does not buck up soon.  The third produced a flower
in early May which immediately fell off!  Yesterday, it produced another
beautiful little flower no more than 1 inch across.  This plant looks
determined to survive but remains only three inches across.  It is
growing on the north side of the house, in half shade, in a rock garden.
Not the easiest iris to grow.

I have grown I. tectorum for a number of years with little success.  It
dies out regularly, especially if the soil is dry.  This year, it
changed its mind and flowered in three places in the garden and was a
delight.  The young plants seem to grow quite vigorously and the leaves
are very attractive.  Care must be taken not to dispose of it in the
spring when, in this climate at least, it looks as if it is dead.  From
the "dead" remains, it is reborn but takes longer to recover each spring
than most other irises.  Possibly a reflection of its natural habit in
warmer climates.

I. cristata does the best of the three in this area although the ones in
drier, sunnier conditions are less vigorous.

Ian, in Ottawa where the weather is perfect and our ten day stint of
baby-sitting three girls under 8 ended today!

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