Re: CAT:Spuria

I'd surely second Mark Cook's recommendation of ILA CRAWFORD.  When he still lived in Kentucky, he sent me a couple pieces of that, both of which bloomed the very first year after planting, something that many, if not most,  will not do.  The move to cold (zone 4) NW Iowa didn't cause them to miss a beat.  Not all of Niswonger's do the same; I don't consider zone 5 to be really a cold zone compared to here.  JANICE CHESNIK (basically a golden bronzey tan, with other colors in the falls) does fine here, and SUNNY DAY, an old but lovely golden yellow, flourishes with little grower care. 
Our Siouxland Iris Society had Jim Hedgecock, national VP of the Spuria Society, as guest speaker in September.  He had a great program, lots of slides, and he made a great case for spurias as a care-free (no rot, no leaf spot, only problem something called mustard seed fungus in some places) plant.  I can certainly testify to the toughness and beauty.  And if you want iris in arrangements, spuria tend to last quite long.  Jim sells under the name of Comanche Acres Iris Garden, Gower, MO (it's near St. Joseph, in the northwestern part of the state) and advertises regularly in the AIS Bulletin.
Arnold
 
Arnold & Carol Koekkoek
38 7th Street, NE
Sioux Center, IA 51250
e-mail  k*@mtcnet.net
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