Re: Re: color change
- Subject: Re: [iris-talk] Re: color change
- From: P* T*
- Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 20:58:45 +1000
> might have been made a mistake in picking the colour of the clump. But
> it is always purple changed to yellow not the other way round or
> any other colour changing colour. So now I am wondering if the rhizome
That's interesting.... I've always heard it was purple or blue changing to
white.
Generally what I've mostly heard is..... two types were planted, one being
stronger than the other. The stronger variety outgrew the other and
flowered exclusively one particular year, or almost permanently due to it
taking all the nutrients from the other weaker rhizomes.
The other problem is that with this type of mix of a stronger and weaker
cultivar.... when irises are divided and replanted people usually keep the
larger rhizomes and throw out the smaller ones, thus throwing out the
weaker variety. Hey Presto.... there's suddenly only one colour.
There's a couple of possibilities. To my knowledge it is PHYSICALLY
IMPOSSIBLE for a rhizome to change from purple to yellow. Genetically they
are incapable of doing so. It is possible for a sport to arise, but not
for all of them to change colour. It is more likely to be two varieties,
one of which responded better to the environmental conditions that
particular year and flowered, whereas the other one was stressed and did not.
If the iris was changing to white....... then it is possible that
Glyphosate was used, which can artificially mutate the flower for one
growing season, resulting in distorted flowers for that year, but not
subsequent years.
I think that pretty much summarises what has been said before? Anyone else?
Cheers.
Paul Tyerman
Canberra, Australia. USDA equivalent - Zone 8
p*@ozemail.com.au
Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Lilium, Aroids, Irises
plus just about anything else that doesn't move!!!!!
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