CULT:My iris changed color!!!

In a message dated 6/27/2006 6:28:16 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
ChatOWhitehall@aol.com writes:

<<So are you suggesting that bee pods only make white irises?  >>
 
When giving a program on irises or "helping" at a show, the most often  asked 
question is "Why did my iris change color!"  Often that question  comes in 
the form of "Why did my irises turn white!"  Don't know why! 
 
It's unfortunate that I used the more limited version.
 
No!  All bee pods don't contain white irises!  Although some  might.  
 
There are limited possibilities.  We established recently (on this  list)  
that sports are rare.  
 
1)  Your source was unreliable and you didn't plant what you  thought you 
were planting.  (Spring Hill/Wal-Mart etc.) This can even  happen with a local 
sale.  Recently happened to me.  My clump of  Nordica is a reddish brown on 
white plicata.  Did my white iris turn  plicata?  No!  It was never white.  Just 
misnamed.  
 
2)  Iris grew in the same space earlier.  Yes, little pieces  of irises left 
when a bed is reworked will create problems.  Irises are  resourceful and 
small "eyes" easily escape the eye!  A small unseen rhizome  can be chopped into 
several pieces by the tiller,  survive and repopulate the bed!  Wow!  Most 
seasoned iris  growers will "recognize" an old friend when it pops back up in a 
bed.  
 
3)  You planted a white(whatever) along with other colors.   It was stronger 
than the others and took over the bed! 
 
4)  Bee pods (with seed) have been left unattended.  When they  mature they 
will "fling" their seed similar to a Touch Me Not.  Iris seed  are built for 
survival and can germinate over a period of years, dependent on a  set of 
factors lining up.  They are often stronger than the parents.  
 
It's even possible that a bird can drop a seed!  Deer eats seed pod,  drops 
undigested seed, bird picks up seed, drops seed!
 
Hope that clears the issue a bit.  


 
________________________________________________________
If you  don't cross them, you can't  plant them! 
Betty W. in South-central  KY Zone 6 ---
Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
_www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/_ 
(http://www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/) 
_Reblooming Iris - Home Page_ (http://www.rebloomingiris.com/)  
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_AIS: American Iris Society website_ (http://www.irises.org/)   

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