Re: Re:Growing Iris South Florida
iris@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Re:Growing Iris South Florida
  • From: C* C* <d*@rewrite.hort.net>
  • Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2014 22:11:34 -0500
If you check Weather Underground history of Los Angeles for Dec -Feb you will see weather suitable for vernalization.
Part of flowering cycle needs for bearded iris is vernalization. Built into genes, can't get around it. This is part of the complex floral initialization/flowering cycle involving a good number of genes in a complex arrangement. There is a bypass for first vernalization with facilitative vernalization, part of what is involved with "rebloom" of California/warm weather type. But without vernalization there can't be next flower bud set, even with maturation. Has to do with epigentic gene set triggered by vernalization. Without the vernalization plants are not reset into next epigenetic state. So no bud set, no bloom. Plants can hang on for awhile with vegetative increase of long rhizome growth. But will eventually die as no increases to take over once main growing shoot dies.
Bearded iris need temperature change seasons for ongoing survival. I expect that the plants found in various places in Florida were garden remnants, but never flowered, just were hanging on. 

Chuck Chapman

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Pries <101p@rewrite.hort.net>
To: iris <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Wed, Nov 5, 2014 7:42 pm
Subject: Re: [iris] Re:Growing Iris South Florida
I do not think any of us are experts when it comes to TBs in zone 9. We just do not have the data recorded to say much with any degree of confidence. But this question comes up frequently and I wish we could get more trials of various types in these areas. Certainly Louisiana irises and many beardless can do well in the Deep South. I have often believed that reblooming bearded irises should hold more promise in this area also. But again it is probably only a few cultivars that would work. Chilling may be only one of the concerns since Linda pointed out that Los Angeles does not get chilled and I am pretty sure there are Tbs growing there. 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Betty Gunther" <63e82e8b1@rewrite.hort.net>
To: iris@hort.net
Sent: Wednesday, November 5, 2014 7:04:44 PM
Subject: Re: [iris] Re:Growing Iris South Florida

I am far from and expert, but it seems to me a big problem with growing
bearded irises in FL would be moisture.  Growing them in a lot of sand
might work. And I am not saying the lack of vernalization wouldn't be a problem for many/most, but I do seem to remember old bearded irises in a 
few old gardens in New Orleans ( zone 9), but they weren't
flourishing.   I do remember Louisiana irises flourishing there.   I
planted several varieties of Louisianas in my back yard and they grew
magnificently with practically no assisitence. I also seem to remember that people in Zone 9 of Arizona claim to be unable to grow SDB but they 
can grow TB -- pretty well -- but they get very little water.
I grow TBs in my farm garden 85 miles north of New Orleans in zone 
8 and I know of other iris gardens in that area. They grow and bloom,
but the Louisianas still do better.   It is colder and dryer just 85
miles north of New Orleans.
    My suggestion would be to look around for old Zone 8 gardens and
see if some of those will grow in sandy zone 9 gardens and start from
there hybridizing.   I think a few bearded iris have made it in Zone 9
there.    You might be able to teach us something!
    Betty G ( Los Alamos, NM) zone 6 --- trying to see if Louisianas
will grow outdoors here.

On 11/5/2014 3:24 PM, Linda Mann wrote:

Site that will calculate how much opportunity there is for
vernalization at your location!

http://getchill.net/

This site gives both below 45oF and 32 to 45oF, plus the Utah Model.
For my location
Between 45 and 32 Model: 1370 chill hours
Utah Model: 1055 chill units
It also gives 'chill portions', whatever that is.

& Wunderground now has a reporting weather station just down the
street from me!  My very own weather station. ;-)  They are on the
other side of the valley, so will get more sun/be warmer, but only a
tiny bit.

This site says Los Angeles has zero chilling hours

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--
Bob Pries
Zone 7a
Roxboro, NC
(336)597-8805

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