Re: Mesmerizer - AIS Bulletin Cover

I consider Mesmerizer to be a West Coast iris as opposed to an East Coast iris.  It does really, REALLY well out here in the West.  Apparently from reports, that is not so much the case back East.  Out here in the west, it is vigorous. Some places it reblooms as soon as the rhizomes gets big enough.   The stalks are wonderful, branching is varied but mostly good, but sometimes the stalks do fall down.  And, it just so happens, it won Best Specimen Of Show for me this past Spring. For a space ager, it has the most wonderful large billowy flounces.         

Like many irises, some require a time period to acclimate to a different weather climate.  I think this might be the case in this situation.  If you give it a chance I am sure it will do well for you.  Some people are very strict with their irises, thinking that they should all do the same everywhere the first year they get it.  Some that grew it for only one year may rightfully be questioning how it won the Dykes.  The answer may be quite simple.

The judges handbook states that an iris should be viewed in many gardens and observed for 2 years.  That means two bloom seasons.  Well, perhaps after the first year it might acclimate and do well for you.  At the conventions, the irises are all grown for two years, and that is where a lot of judges happen to be "observing."  If this cv. does as well back east the second year as it does out here during the first season, then it will get a lot of votes at the conventions.   

I wrote an article about Mesmerizer for the Reblooming Iris Society a while ago.  I was suprised to see Rosalie say it didn't fare well by her place either, and I was just wondering if she has been growing it for the last 2 years?   

Go ahead, give it a try for a couple years.  See if it acclimates for you?  I know some people in the East are actaully getting good bloom from it.   I hear Lloyd Zurbrig is using it extensively in his hybridizing, so it apparently works well for him there.  

Patrick Orr
Phoenix, AZ  zone 9
USA  Get more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com


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