Re: SPEC - Iris missouriensis hard to grow?

On Sat, 9 May 1998, Barbara Mann wrote:

 Subject: Re: SPEC - Iris missouriensis hard to grow?
> 
> Paige asked:
> 
> 
> >Does anyone out there find Iris missouriensis easy to grow? Got any tips =
> >to share?
> 
> 
> I've found I. missouriensis germination to be very variable, possibly
> depending on where the seed's from and maybe how mature it is.  I once
> brought two seeds home from a mountain meadow (the only seeds I could find),
> and I now have two five-year-old clumps (those were planted in the ground
> along with that year's crop of bearded iris seeds).  But so far seeds from
> those clumps have not grown here.  I have gotten up to around 60% on some
> SIGNA seeds from Colorado using the refrigerator technique.  This year I've
> been trying the leave-it-in-pots-outside-over-the-winter trick, but it's
> still too early to tell if anything is going to make it.  I hope so--it's
> easier to keep track of the little seedlings in pots.

My experience has been similar to Barbara Mann's.  Missouriensis seed collected
in Arizona and New Mexico was germinated with refrigerator cold stratification
and the seedlings planted outside.  This season five clumps bloomed for the first
time, about two years after planting out.  I suspect that missouriensis may like
light shade, at least in the overly warm New Mexico summers, so when possible
they go on the north side of taller plants.  There is a lot of variability in
missouriensis, and the five clumps from seed are taller and hold flowers above
foliage better than other clumps I've had for several years.  Missouriensis
is reputed to be sensitive to root disturbance, so when transplanting, a reasonable
size earth ball is desirable.  Even so, some sulk for years before giving up a
bloom.
Scott Jordan, Albuquerque
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