Kathleen Sayce
Starting with yellow flowers, one of the most common colors
in wild Pacific Iris populations, I will work through the color spectrum in coming months, though not in strict rainbow order!
Ken
Walker, SPCNI's photo archivist, gave a talk on this topic
at AIS's 2012 Convention in Ontario, CA. I will include photos from that
talk when I get to some colors and patterns.
Species of all colors tend to narrow petals with a few veins, a small signal, and no to limited ruffling. Hybrids developed with broader falls, more ruffled edges, larger style arms and
standards, and with a dizzying array of veining patterns, larger
signals, multiple colors in the signals, and slashes down the center
of the falls.
So, beginning with yellow, I start with the Golden Iris.
So, beginning with yellow, I start with the Golden Iris.
Iris innominata in a garden setting, this one has fairly narrow petals and brown veins on the falls. |
Iris
innominata, Golden Iris, is one of the gorgeous species in the
Pacifica group. [OK, there are no non-gorgeous PCIs, some are simply
gaudier than others.] In the wild, I. innominata petal color varies
from white through pale yellow to dark gold and almost orange. Veining varies from
almost none to orange, red, dark red or brown. Wild petal width varies from very narrow to moderately wide and slightly
ruffled. Wild plants are small, usually well under one foot (25 cm)
in height. Flowers are usually held above the foliage. Foliage is
dark green, and evergreen. This is a very attractive garden plant even as a wild species.
Unregistered PCI Burnt Sugar is a slightly huskier innominata-type with a more complex signal, dark red veins, and larger leaves and flowers. |
Yellow
flowers are also seen in wild populations of I. chrysophylla, I.
douglasiana, I. tenax and in natural hybrids. Garden-selected plants
that range from pale yellow to dark yellow have been developed in the
past century, with the brakes off on veining, ruffling, signal size
and color, and other traits.
PCI 'Garden Delight' is a lighter yellow with even more complex signal and veins on falls. Flower stalks tend to flop over, however, so it's best grown with other plants to provide support. |
PCI 'Sierra Amarillo' is darker yellow than 'Garden Delight', and is also floppy in the flower bed. The flowers are delightful, however, and worth growing with other plants to hold them up. |
This Ghio-sourced seedling has more ruffles and delivers a nice blast of light yellow. |
I return to judging guidelines regularly to remind myself that good Iris flowers have to hold up in weather, and be strong plants, not simply have beautiful flowers. Garry Knipe and I talked a couple of years ago about a sturdy yellow PCI that would flower in early spring with the daffodils. I can't wait to see this one!
Fantastic photos, and great article Kathleen. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Andi! More colors to come.
ReplyDelete