Re: Short-lived Dutch Iris and differences
- Subject: Re: Short-lived Dutch Iris and differences
- From: P* T*
- Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 16:49:37 +1000
At 12:55 28/05/01 -0400, you wrote:
> Dutch iris are bulbous iris. They grow and bloom from a bulb
> They are usually cheap, and at least in
> our garden short-lived. They bloom early, with the tulips.
>
John,
Maybe the short-lived is due to the fact you're Zone 5b. Maybe you should
move somewhere warmer? <grin>.
I'm in somewhere around the Zone 8 mark (as near as I can work the
equivalents to USDA scale) and our Dutch Iris are definitely permanent.
There is one particular variety called Apollo that I started with 5 of
around 8 years ago. We now have hundreds. There are 4 clumps in the
garden, plus I've potted some, given away to friends.... I honestly don't
know how many there are now. When I first got married (5 years ago) I
bought two Apollos to put in the new garden at this house. Those two are
now a clump close to a foot wide at the base. Since then I moved the clump
over from the old place (and planted in three separate clumps which are all
larger than that clump) and there is still a clump at the old place when I
drive by. They just give and give and give.
Now the Siberians.......... they just get larger and larger as well. Don't
even need to water them for them to grow and flower most years.
Jim Bob,
It is also worth noting that Siberians die down in the winter, whereas the
dutch iris start shooting in the winter. Also, the foliage on the
Siberians is much tougher than that of the dutch iris. The Siberians look
like a finer leaved Bearded iris in the way the leaves sit together,
whereas the butch irises are a round shoot that the leaves peel off from.
Hopefully that is of some help. The easiest way really is to check for
bulbs or a rhizome. You can't miss the difference.
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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