CULT: Hermodactylus tuberosus

 I wonder if anyone is now growing, or has planted this year, Hermodactylus
tuberosus, the Snake's Head Iris?  I have it on order but have not yet
received my bulbs.  Haven't grown it for years.

Hermodactylus tuberosus is the only species of its genus, a genus evidently
closely related to Iris, with flowers that fit the typical iris pattern.
In fact, in both flowers and foliage, it closely resembles a Reticulata
Iris.  Look at its underground parts, though, and the similarities
dissappear; this iris impersonator grows four to six inches tall from
small, thick yet brittle, dahlia-like tubers.  And indeed, the color of the
bloom is also unusual.  It's apple green, with a blackish purple spot on
each fall petal.  The English name is hard to account for, but perhaps the
emerging flower buds do look a little like a snake's head.

Common around the Mediterranean from France to Israel, the Snake's Head
Iris is an early bloomer, following hard on the heels of the Reticulata
Irises and in company with the Miniature Dwarf Bearded hybrids.   The
tubers are sometimes available from mail-order bulb dealers and are usually
quite inexpensive (McClure and Zimmerman has it).  They should be planted a
few inches deep in a light, limy soil that is not too fertile.

Hardiness is a question.  German expert Fritz Koehlein suspects it is not
fully hardy in northern climates and recommends container culture,
preserving the pots from frost.  However, I've grown and flowered this
unusual plant outside in the mountains of northern Pennsylvania, where
winter temperatures regularly drop well below zero.   Admittedly it was at
the base of a south-facing foundation, but I think Hermodactylus might be
hardier than generally thought.

Like most Mediterranean plants, it likes dry heat in the summer and quickly
multiplies when planted against walls that both reflect heat and provide
some protection from summer rains.   Alkaline to neutral soils are best,
and go easy on the organic matter.  A fertile sandy loam gives good results.

Container culture is another way to succeed with the Snake's Head Iris, and
I suspect it might soon take over a bulb frame!

Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@hsc.edu>
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index