Re: OT: Iris family-Cypella coelestis

From: Paul & Yvonne Tyerman <tyerman@dynamite.com.au>

>
>"Flowering stalk 50-60cm, unbranched, flowers 5-6.5 cm. diameter, leaden blue
>with a tawny flush and yellow brown spots; outer segments spreading, inner
>segments erect, blotched yellow; claw bearded [that is what it says]; style
>lilac. Late summer. Brazil, Uruguay to Argentina."
>
>No hardiness zone noted on this one, which means the RHS has no info, but
they
>give zone 9 as a general guideline for the Cypellae. 
>
>Phillips and Rix in the Random House Book of Bulbs , p.231, picture Cypella
>herbertii and say it is the hardiest of the species Cypella and will survive
>outside in the south of England if planted in a warm spot. If memory serves,
>most of the south of England was rated equivalent to Zone 8 last time I
looked
>it up, with some few spots that almost made 9.
> 

I grow Cypella pratensis and Cyp. hibbertia here in Canberra, Australia.
We're Zone 8 as far as I know.

I grow them in pots outside (I've just never gotten them into the ground)
which would mean that technically they'd get colder than they would in the
ground (the pot doesn't offer the insulation that the ground offers).  We
get down to around a -8'C minimum (this is the extreme.... generally only a
-6'C) and high 30's ('C) every year and they've both survived for the last
3 years.  Incidentally, they've never been repotted in this time, nor any
special treatment or anything like that.  I keep thinking they've died and
then up they spring again.  One of these days I'm going to remember to
repot them while they're dormant.  I don't like to do it while they're
growing.  Perhaps they might even multiply if I give them some actual
nutrients??

I hope this is some help.

Cheers.					Paul Tyerman (Australia)


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