A Step into the Past of Iris Lore: Sydney B. Mitchell

By Bryce Williamson

While recently researching a judges’ training program, I found myself reflecting on how some of the important iris personalities of the past have faded from the conversation even though they played critical roles. Then, at Region 14’s 2023 fall meeting, Joe Ghio talked about “In the beginning…” Joe’s comments caused my mind to recall the contributions of Sydney B. Mitchell. His work is significant for three reasons; any of them would have ensured his place in iris lore.

First, Mitchell saved and introduced the Mohr irises after William Mohr’s early death in a car accident. The Mohr-Mitchell iris "San Francisco" went on to become the first American Dykes Medal winner.

'San Francisco' (Mohr, 1927)

Second, Lloyd Austin is often considered the father of space-age irises. Yet Mitchell’s plicata breeding played an important role in their development. Lloyd saw potential in a Mitchell plicata seedling (later introduced as ‘Advanced Guard’) and from that iris produced the world’s first horned iris: ‘Unicorn.’

'Advance Guard' (Mitchell, 1945)

'Unicorn' (Austin, 1954)

Finally, Sydney B. Mitchell loved Pacific Coast Native (PCN) irises and promoted them. Part of Sydney’s promotion effort was sending seeds around the world. Seeds sent to the United Kingdom would grow to become the foundation of PCN’s adapted to the English climate and ultimately Marjorie Brummitt's ‘No Name,’ winner of the British Dykes Medal in 1976.

'No Name' (Brummitt, 1973)

From Mitchell PCN seeds sent to Australia Hargreaves produced lovely seedlings, though none of these were named introductions. Later, Stanley Lott, Heidi Blyth, and John Taylor would carry on the Australian line for PCN irises and produced some lovely flowers.

‘European Mist’ (Heidi Blyth, 2009/2010)

Hargreaves seed made its way back to the United States, and a red seedling was widely crossed by Joe Ghio as one of the foundation parents of his lovely PCIs. Of course, Joe Ghio also has access to seed from Jack Craig who most likely obtained seed directly from Mitchell.

‘Red Light District’ (Ghio, 2015)

‘Going Bananas’ (Ghio, 2010)

Sidney B. Mitchell received the AIS Hybridizers Medal in 1941. The American Iris Society's medal for PCN irises is named for him, and rightly so. His book Iris for Every Garden helped the popularity of all types of irises and its chapter on hybridizing inspired a new generation of hybridizers.

The influence of Mitchell lives on today in modern tall bearded hybridizing and Pacific Coast Native irises.

Let the Iris Buyer Beware

By Bryce Williamson 

There is an old Latin saying, caveat emptor, meaning "let the buyer beware." This phrase reminds us that the buyer assumes risk that a product may fail to meet expectations or have defects. This certainly applies when buying irises, or any plant in general. For that reason, this post will have only one image. It is an image that I detest, though it appears every once in a while usually with one of two comments: "It is real?" or, "Where can I buy this iris?"

This image has been manipulated in a computer to alter the flower's appearence

For the record, the answer to either question is “no.” No iris of this color exists─it is a classic example of a “Photoshopped” or computer-manipulated image. Hybridizers would die and go to iris heaven to have a flower of this color. I’ve seen this non-iris offered for as little as $5.00 per plant. Sellers were not only located in the United States of America, but also in many other countries around the world. If you order it, and if it arrives (a very big if), and if it finally blooms, you WILL be disappointed.

Which leads me to another “let the buyer beware” issue that often is a topic on iris sites: Does the iris live up to its picture? The answer to that question is a bit complicated. First, buyers should be aware that images always approximate the flower you will see when the plant blooms. No matter how hard a nursery tries, there are too many factors that affect flower color when it blooms in the garden. These factors include cultural conditions, like soil pH. There are also numerous variables which affect image color when physically printed or uploaded to the World Wide Web. Long ago I had a color catalogue─a catalogue printed by one of the top Japanese companies─and images would look different year to year when printed from the same color separations. That talk of color separations will tell you that it was in a different century.

However, a savvy iris buyer can do two things to help himself/herself exercise good judgement. First, learn to recognize a computer-manipulated image. I have firsthand experience with a larger grower that uses images which have little to do with the actual plant. The grower advertises ‘Disco Music,’ an iris I hybridized, registered, and introduced in the 1970’s. The plant sold as ‘Disco Music’ by the larger grower is NOT the iris I introduced. I see numerous complaints from gardeners about this firm shipping poor quality stock, sending the wrong plants; and if they bloom, that flowers have no resemblance to the image in the catalogue. I advocate for having the good sense to spend money at a reliable iris grower: the prices are lower and the quality of the plants is better. If you are new to the iris world, you can reach out to a local iris society (listed by region) or the Iris Lovers group on Facebook and ask for recommendations. 

The second thing to consider is how satisfied you were with a prior purchase. If you do buy irises year after year from one grower and find the images rarely look like the flower when it blooms, then quit being foolish and buy elsewhere. This can also work in reverse--one of the highlights of my last two bloom seasons was a new variety that I would never have bought based on the color image.

That brings me to the final points of this tirade. Pay attention to where you buy. Plant materials are, in theory, inspected, which is especially important for plant material moving between countries. There are many horror stories about plant material from outside a country bringing diseases and unwanted insects into the country. 

A tourist returning from Latin America destroyed many ornamental fuchsias by bringing home a cutting that introduced Aculops fuchsiae, commonly known as fuchsia gall mite. It feeds on fuchsia plants, causing distortion of growing shoots and flowers. It is a horticultural pest. Actually pest is not a strong enough term, but I digress.

Southern California is now fighting the Huanglongbing (HLB) disease which is caused by bacteria spread by insects like the Asian citrus psyllid. HLB is fatal to citrus trees and thousands are being destroyed to prevent its spread beyond quarantine boundaries. I fear that sooner or later, some foolish person will buy a citrus tree in Southern California and bring it, and HLB, into Northern California.

Regulations and quarantines are intended to keep our plants as healthy as possible; but they only work if we adhere to them. Recently iris nurseries in Australia, where they have a strict and expensive process for importing irises, have found growers buying from out of the country, circumventing the quarantine protocol, and potentially bringing in new diseases and pests. This isn’t responsible behavior, and consequences could be disastrous (as they have been for fuchsias and citrus).

If customs or the various agricultural agencies find seeds and plants brought into the country without the correct certifications, they destroy those items. When asking for a PayPal refund, try explaining, "I was illegally importing plants/seeds and want my money back."

As I wrap this up, please keep in mind the adage, “let the buyer beware”; and “if is too good to be true, most likely it is not true.” I will now step off my soapbox and go back to trying to figure out how to come up with a turquoise iris the hard way─by making lots of crosses. 

Top Ten Iris Posts of 2021

by Bryce Williamson

As the year 2021 has come to an end, we can take time to reflect on many things in this time of pandemic and opportunities to meet with family and friends with fewer concerns. We can also look back on the ten most viewed posts from 2021 on the World of Irises blog.

2007 Franciris® first prize winner 'Solovinayia Noch'

In tenth place is Sylvain Ruaud’s THE IRIS LADY OF ZHITOMIR: Nina Miroshnichenko.  During the Cold War, it was very hard for gardeners in Central Europe and further east to get modern irises for hybridizing. Against those odds, Nina Miroshnichenko had a long and distinguished career with many iris introductions.

A sharpened trowel was one of many Iris Lover recommendations

In ninth place is Bryce Williamson's Tools for the Iris Garden. After asking for feedback from the Iris Lovers group on Facebook, Bryce's inbox was filled with ideas both serious and humorous.

An illustrated plate with from Portefeuille deshorticulteurs

In eighth place, we find Bob Pries's The Beginnings of Tall Bearded Irises. In his first post for the blog, Bob's article was well received.

Two methods for planting bearded irises

In celebration of this blog turning ten years old, we featured posts with the most views of all time. Number six from that list is also one of the most read posts this year in position seven: Three Myths About Bearded Irises by Tom Waters.

Labels for potted irises

How can we remember what irises we have? Few gardeners aspire to buy two rhizomes of the same variety because of a missing labels. The sixth position is about preventing this very problem. This article also serves to remind us that the East Coast has a long and illustrious history of iris growing. Growing Irises Out East: Labeling Our Treasured Things by Heather Grace (the blog's new managing editor) and her mother Alleah Barnes Haley (the blog's new copy editor).

2021 Wister Medal Winner 'Football Hero'

As we move into the home stretch, it is not surprising we find one of the posts about 2021 American Iris Society (AIS) award winners in position five. Due to the pandemic, the AIS suspended garden awards in 2020 and this year two medals were awarded in each class, or in this case six Wister Medals. The American Iris Society Announces the 2021 Wister Medal Winners.

Top selling iris 'Sand Dancer'

In fourth position, we have a post from Down Under. When an iris enthusiast transitions from growing a few irises to having a out-of-control collection, we want to find out which irises are selling well and why. Mel Schiller wrote about this in the blog Smoking Hot Sellers So Far in the 20/21 Season. I was surprised at how well arilbreds sold for them considering they can be a bit temperamental.

2021 Dykes Medal Winner 'Daring Deception'

Everyone wants to know which irises are awarded the AIS's top garden prize, so it is not surprising that position three is occupied by 2021's two Dykes Medal winners: The American Iris Society Announces the 2021 Dykes Medal Winners.

Heather's first iris dig as a homeowner

The second most viewed post of 2021 is another written by the Haley mother-daughter team: Growing Irises Out East: When It’s Time To Dig In. These "how to" articles are important not only to the new grower of irises, but also to seasoned gardeners for better ways of doing things in the garden.

A sample of an iris grown in revitalized soil

Occupying the position as the most viewed post in 2021 is another by Bryce Williamson. His topic that is dear to the heart of any iris grower who has grown irises for a long time in the same garden: Dishing the Iris Dirt. Growing irises for many years in the same soil is a universal problem and the post was recently translated into French to appear in the French Iris and Bulb Society bulletin.

As the new year begins we look forward to gathering information and disseminating it in more posts about the wonderful World of Irises.

Location, Location, Location

By Bryce Williamson

Although I have been growing irises for over 55 years, I learn something new every iris season, or a lesson from the past is reinforced. In the last few years it is the term “location, location, location” and my discovery that it not only applies to real estate but also to gardening.

'Lavender Moonbeams'--Rick Tasco image

Two years ago, I decided to add three I. unguicularis, sometimes called the Algerian iris, to the garden, but my acquiring the plants coincided with my breaking six ribs and having to find a spot for the gardeners to plant them while I healed. The location was not ideal—my first lesson was that I should have found a location where I walk every day, not in a bed where I can go days without looking at the plants. The second thing I learned, and it is a recommendation for other gardeners who might like to grow these winter flowering irises, was find ‘Lavender Moonbeams’ because it flowered well.

Last year I made the decision to move the irises from the backyard into the front yard. No irises have grown there in seven or eight years and I expected them to do well in this new location. I had learned my lesson from the past and fertilized more heavily and add organic matter to the soil. That we did by moving 7 yards of potting soil mix into an area 600 square feet and a fifty pound bag of 15-15-15 was also spread over the area; however, I tend to over plant and as a result, I ran out of room and needed to plant my arilbreds in a different bed by the walk.

I had Reynaldo hand dig the bed with a bag of potting soil, but as the arilbreds grew and then bloomed, they bloomed poorly. My lesson was that they needed more fertilizer and one bag of potting soil for even that small area was not enough. I’ve also learned that my tendency to want to replant 4 rhizomes of a variety needs to be curbed—I may have to settle for 3 rhizomes! I will have to watch myself or the 1200 square foot area we are preparing in the backyard will not be enough.

I have always thought that where I bought plants and bulbs determined the quality of the product. A couple of years ago, I decided to add some reticulates to the garden and, for once, I got the location right—along the front of the sidewalk where I walk at least 6 times ago. I picked up a cheap bag of Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ from Costco and went to the most expensive and best of Silicon Valley’s remaining nurseries—the dwindling number of plant nurseries here is another story—for other colors and into the ground they went. I’m on the second year and ‘Harmony’ has bloomed well, though I learned that I should have planted the bulbs more closely together, and it is thriving, but the more expensive plants have grown and only thrown up a couple of flowers. There does not seem to be a tight connection between price and quality of the bulbs.

Sometimes I get the location right by mistake. Every few years, I scrounge the nurseries for Dutch iris, buying a dozen of each variety that I can find. They do well the first years, but fail to naturalize for a variety of reason. The amazing exception is ‘Sky Wing’, a soft lavender-blue that loves it location and flowers every year. It is planted at the edge of the water line for the sprinkler and I thought that location would be a kiss of death, but it likes it there. A large rock anchors that corner of the rose bed and that may help with Sky Wing. (Note that there is a Siberian called Sky Wings too).

With more than fifty springs under my belt for growing irises, each year I learn something new.

The World of Irises is the official blog of The American Iris Society. Now in its 99^th year, The American Iris Society exists to promote all types of irises. If you wish to comment on a post, you can do so at the end of the page and the author or the editors will reply. If you wish to learn more about The American Iris Society, follow the link.

2018's Top Blog Posts

2018 In Review

The last year was an important one for The World of Irises. In late October, our number of views passed one million, a significant milestone. During the year, we have had posts of all types of irises. It is useful to look back and note the most viewed The World of Irises posts. Here are the top ten for 2018.

If you missed any of these blog posts, just click on the title and it will load the article for you.

The most viewed post of the years was "Talking Irises" - THE 2018 TALL BEARDED IRIS BLOOM SEASON: A SPECTACULAR SHOW! By Susanne Holland Spicker. This was a guest post and we miss Susanne’s colorful articles as she had been on a sabbatical from writing.

Image by Susanne Holland Spicker

The second most viewed post was “The American Iris Society Announces the 2018 Dykes Medal Winner.”

In third place was “The Diversity of Color in Louisiana Irises - 'Unusual' Colors" by Ron Killingsworth

That post was followed by “Photo Essay: A Visit to Schreiner's Iris Gardens” By Mike Unser.

Next was Tom Waters’s important post about the complicated issues of fertilizing:  “Fertilizing Irises.” This post lead to many serious discussions and some of us have changed our gardening habits based on its information.

Tom Walter’s post about fertilizing was followed in views by Keith Keppel’s “New Color Combinations in Plicatas, part 2."

Bryce Williamson’s post about the new and yet unnamed iris species was next: "New Iris Species Azure Blue."

Next in line was Ginny Spoon's post about East Coast reblooming irises: "Reblooming Iris: A Love Affair." 

That was followed by Chad Harris’s article “Iris Ensata,Iris Laevigata, and Pseudota in Containers.”

And rounding out the top ten viewed posts of 2018 was Keith Keppel’s part 1 of “New Color Combinations In Plicatas.”

Year in Review

As the editors of The World of Irises blog look back on 2017, these were the most viewed posts. To view the email, just click on the title of the blog and it will take you to the post.

 In first place was Dawn Munford’s “A Fond Farewell to Tall Bearded Iris."

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Image by Dawn Munford

The second most viewed blog was Suzanne Holland Spicker’s "’Talking Irises’ TALL BEARDED IRISES: COMPANION PLANTS for PINK, RED, and PURPLE IRISES.”

'Red Skies' (Ghio)--image by Suzanne Spicker

That blog was followed by Chad Harris’s “Colors, Patterns of Japanese Iris."

'

Image by Chad Harris

Dawn Munford occupies the Number 4 spot with “MOREPHOTOMONTAGES OF TALL BEARDED IRISES.”

Image by Dawn Munford

Rounding out the top five, Suzanne Holland Spicker’s “GardenMagic Fills My Soul.”

Image by Kat Zalewska

Next up is Tom Waters’s “Growing Irises From Seed.”

Image by Tom Water

One of our new bloggers occupies the next spot with Hooker Nichol’s “Louisiana Irises.”

'Great White Hope' (Haymon)--Image by Robert Treadway

Bonnie Nichols wrote about cultural problems in “Bloom Out in Bearded Irises.”

Image by Bonnie Nichols

In ninth place, Bryce Williamson posted “I’m Singing the Blues.”

'Absolute Treasure' (Tasco)--Image by Bryce Williamson

The final blog in the top 10 is Chad Harris’s “FlowerForms of Japanese Iris.”

Image by Chad Harris

You can be automatically notified of all new post by going to the top left of any blog and filling your email address in the box and then clicking on submit. With the wide variety of content in this blog, you don’t want to miss a post.

And the editors look forward to 2018 and many more exciting and interesting posts.

Let the Sun Shine In

By Bryce Williamson

As I wrote in a previous blog “I’m Singing the Blues,” some traditional iris colors have been ignored by hybridizers in recent years. Among those colors ignored are browns—oddly always popular with the carriage trade—and yellow. Ignoring the latter makes little sense. Yellow to gold is such a wonderful color in the garden and brings a shaft of sunlight into plantings even on overcast and dreary days.

Here are some yellows and golds to perk up even the dullest day.

Abbondonza--Image by Paul Black

Abbondanza (Ghio, 2003). With flowers that bloom from the early season to late, standards are mango gold, infused pink; falls mango gold, heart and shoulders pink; beards tangerine. This is a color that bring yellow and fruit tones together in a warm combination.

Amarillo Frills--Image by Paul Black

Amarillo Frills (Hager 2002). Not the newest iris on the list, but an early to midseason blooming variety that is a laced yellow self including the beards yellow.

Beauty Becomes Her--Image by Paul Black

Beauty Becomes Her (Black, 2010) Blooming in the midseason until the end of iris bloom, standards and style arms are medium dark yellow; falls pale yellow blending to medium yellow edge; beards medium yellow, light yellow at end. I have liked this when visiting gardens in Northern California and it grows and blooms well for me.

Best and Brightest--Image by Paul Black

Best and Brightest (Black, 2012). Some greenish hints in the falls of this bright yellow; anyone who is starting a hybridizing program will find this an interesting parent.

Better Than Butter (Black, 2010). Yet another of Paul Black’s irises on the list, but this time it is a variety that will expand your season, starting to bloom in the beginning of the iris season and blooming to the end.  Here the standards are white with a narrow, bright yellow edge; falls are light to medium yellow darkening towards the edge. A narrow, muted gold band circles the falls.

Dance Till Dawn--Image Paul Black

Dance Til Dawn (T. Johnson, R. 2011). Fifty years ago, one of the major tall bearded hybridizers of that time, Orville Fay, believed that tangerine-red bearded yellows and golds were just around the corner; that goal has been elusive because of genetic linkage. With golden-yellow standards and fall, blazed white, the beards are tangerine to yellow.

Fallalary (Johnson, 2010). In the tradition of Rainbow Gold, this bright, sunshine yellow has a classic, round form, light ruffling, and heavy lace around the petals’ edges, but the flowers open without problems.

Golden Gaga--Image by Paul Black

Golden Gaga (L. Painter, 2012). This variety takes yellow-gold off into a different direction with blendings of caramel in the standards and falls, darker caramel towards the edges of the petals.

Golden Panther--Image by Rick Tasco

Golden Panther (Tasco, 2000). Multi-awarding winning iris. Its awards include an Award of Merit, President’s Cup in 2004 at the AIS National Convention, and the Dykes Medal in 2009. Registered as gold overlaid in bronze, I find that some years it is definitely gold and other years it is bronze. Either way, it is bright and attention getting in the garden.

Notta Lemon--Image by Paul Black

Notta Lemon (Burseen, 2010). Well, actually it is sort of a lemon, though more a lemon-yellow-gold. Starts to bloom early in the season and continues to open flowers until towards the end of the bloom season.

Pure and Simple--image by Paul Black

Pure and Simple (Maryott by Ghio, 2004). I like this quiet, soft yellow better than its more famous sister seedling That’s All Folks. The falls are cream white with a wide band of soft-yellow, the color of the standards. This one always grows well for me and was a standout in the five years of severe drought here.

Pure As Gold--image by Brock Heilman

Pure As Gold (Maryott, R. 1993). Some may ask why this 24 year old iris is on this list. First it is here because of the deep, smooth gold color; the second reason is that it can rebloom in much of the United States. Some consider this to be Bill Maryott’s best introduction.

Smart Money--Image by Paul Black

Smart Money (Ghio, 2010). When I first saw this iris while visiting gardens, I liked its yellow tones; however, when it bloomed for me the next year with light violet lines and speckles on the falls, I did not know what to think. In a day, the lines and speckles disappear. For anyone starting to hybridize, this has produced some very unusual seedling for Barry Blyth in Australia.

Sun Chic--image by Napa Iris

Sun Chic (L. Painter, R. 2010). A bitone effect in this lemon yellow with darker falls; good growth and plants that are reliable for bloom each year.

That's All Folks--image by Brock Heilman

That’s All Folks (Maryott by Ghio, 2005). Standards are brilliant gold; falls white with gold blending to wide, muted gold band; beards gold. People I know in Texas assure me that when well grown, stalks of That’s All Folks can get as tall as five feet. But I must point out everything in Texas is bigger. This bright iris stands out in the early garden from afar and demands attention.

Your My Sunshine--image from Rockytop Gardens

You’re My Sunshine (Fan, 2010). I have yet to bloom this variety, but this gold self, except for a small white flash at the end of gold beards, has come highly recommended to me for wonderful growth habits, sturdy plants, and stalks that stand up under adverse conditions. I am looking forward to its bloom in 2018.

I hope that this blog has reminded you of the value of yellow to gold irises in your garden. When it is time to add to your collection, bring some of these fine irises into your yard and you will be reward with a blaze of sunshine even on the coldest, wettest, and dreariest day by letting the sun shine in.

The Winter Flowering Iris, Part 2

By Bryce Willliamson

In putting together the blog The Winter Flowering I. unguicularis, Mr. Richard Tasco answered my questions and provided images. The following interview has been constructed from our correspondence. I. unguicularis do provide good winter flowering plants in Zone 7 and up, but cannot be grown outside in other zones.

BW: How did you get started hybridizing I. unguicularis?

RT: During the 1998 season I made my first cross with the Iris Unguicularis.  This was I. Ssp Cretensis X Marondera.  Marondera is an unregistered large flowered Unguicularis of unknown origin.  I found reference to this clone in South Africa.  This cross produced 3 seeds, two of which germinated and one went on to die.  The other turned out to be my first Unguicularis introduction “Dazzling Eyes” (Tasco 2004).

Dazzling Eyes (Tasco)--image by Rick Tasco

In succeeding years I started to use more clones which I acquired:  Mary Barnard, Walter Butt, Alba, Lazica and of course Marondera.  Marondera more than any of the others proved to be a wonderful parent.  It was largely responsible for my goal of getting large flowers with large rounded petals in this class.  Lazica and Walter Butt did not produce anything worthwhile.  I was more successful with Alba and Mary Barnard.   Wishmaster (Tasco 2007) was Marondera X Mary Barnard.  This is a large medium purple flower.

BW: What were and are your goals in hybridizing?

RT: Another goal was to use Alba to create a very pale lavender along the lines of Walter Butt, but much larger.  This was achieved with my Lavender Moonbeams (Tasco 2014) by using Alba X Marondera.  I called it Lavender Moonbeams.  I’m still using Alba trying to get a white flower with blue shadings.  White flowers do appear in my seedlings but only in the second generation.  Such as Alba X Marondera and then Alba by the progeny of the first cross.  The percent of white flowers in any cross is about 10 percent, but most white flowers, like Alba, aren’t strong growers.  I’m working to improve that.

Lavender Moonbeams (Tasco 2014)--image by Rick Tasco

Still another goal was for dark flowers.  Result was Winter Echoes (Tasco 2011), this was a cross of Marondera X Mary Barnard.   I’m still working for something darker.

Winter Echoes (Tasco 2011)--image by Rick Tasco

The progeny of these crosses do not produce that much diversity and it is difficult to select something different and better.  One year I grew 800 seedlings and only selected two to introduce.  Currently I have about 700 unguicularis seedlings. 

Tasco 04-UNG-03-10--image by Rick Tasco

BW: Do you have any tips for gardeners?

RT: Unguicularis are easy growing plants that can grow and bloom in either full sun or partial shade.  In full sun the foliage may yellow somewhat and become upright making it difficult to observe the flowers in bloom.  In partial shade the foliage remains greener and tends to reflex so the flowers can be easily be observed.

Image by Rick Tasco

BW: What are some of the unusual characteristics of I. unguicularis?

Unguicularis do not have stalks.  They flower on elongated perianth tubes.  Some varieties have longer tubes than others, but most are between 8 and 15 inches.

BW: Do you have any special cultural recommendations?

RT: In our Central California climate it is best to plant or transplant Unguicularis at the end of October or the beginning of November.  Although most literature say they can grow in poor soil, I amend my soil with a good soil amendment, half and half, such as Miracle-Gro or Sta-Green (very comparable and less expensive than Miracle-Gro but only available at Lowe’s).  This makes a big difference in good growth and more flowers.

Rick Tasco's I. unguircularis seedling bed, February 3, 2017--image by Rick Tasco

From late spring thru October the plant is dormant and the roots will die.  When digging for transplant there will be many wiry roots that are dead.  With the onset of cooler and wetter weather the plants will begin to grow new fat white roots similar to Pacific Coast Natives.  I cut off all the dead and wiry roots before I transplant being careful not to cut the new fat white ones.  They transplant easily even into pots.

Tasco 04-ung-02-11_2_2013 (1)--image by Rick Tasco

Editor’s Note: For plants, two sources are available. Superstition Iris Gardens offer three of the four Tasco varieties this year in 4 inch pots for sale and can be contacted at randrcv@sti.net or search for the Superstition Iris Gardens page on Facebook; Plant Delight Gardens in NC sells them too and they have an on-line catalogue at https://www.plantdelights.com.

My sincere thanks to Mr. Richard Tasco for providing information and images.