By Chad Harris
The iris
family Japanese iris, Iris ensata has
the most diverse flower forms of any other iris. This diversity has been
achieved under the watchful eye of hybridizers in Japan over several hundred
years of selective breeding, working with mutations within a single species.
Areas in Japan that bred Japanese iris with different flower forms
Secrecy of
breeding stock within the different groups in Japan and the regional taste of
perfecting what the perfect flower form should be, gave rise to distinct forms.
Container growing for indoor display or garden growing for outdoor viewing also
led to distinct flower forms of Iris
ensata.
Typical three fall form of a wild type Japanese iris
The typical
flower forms found in the wilds are smaller blooms of three falls, three
standards, and three style arms. It is easy to remember flower parts of the
iris as falls are the petals that hang or fall down, while the standards are
the petals that stand upright. The style arms are the central part of the iris
flower housing all of the reproductive organs female and male.
Nagai style of flower blooming in a Japanese iris garden
Nagai possibly
the oldest flower form found in Japan. This area is known for its wild iris
that had more variation in flower colors and patterns.
Nagai form is simple, showing variation in colors and patterns
The flower
forms found here are simpler, being collected wild iris that had caught the eye
of a collector.
Elevated walkway to be able to look down upon the iris flowers
Edo ancient
name of Tokyo is where growers developed different flower forms some with
multiple falls. Plants from this area of Japan were meant to be grown in the
garden and seen from a higher elevation looking down upon the flower.
Three fall Edo flower form
Six fall or double flower form of the Edo style
Nine fall flower with the horizontal flower form of the Edo style
To get the
maximum viewing pleasure of viewing from above, many flower forms whether
single (3 falls), double (6 falls), or multi-falls (9+ falls) generally are held
in the more horizontal linear line of a plate.
Ise flower form the three falls are pendent
Ise style
and form meant to be grown in containers and brought indoors for display. This
distinctive form embraces only the three fall variety of bloom. The falls to be
seen from the side were bred to be pendent and hang straight down from the haft
or shoulder of the bloom. These plants are shorter with the bloom stem at or
slightly below the foliage height thus cradling or to seemingly hold the
flower.
Higo indoor display
From the
southern island the Kumamoto or Higo form was bred. Due to the heavy rains at
bloom time these plants were also grown in containers like the Ise flowers to
be displayed indoors during bloom.
 |
| Higo three fall flower form |
Six fall Higo flower form with large style arms and flaring crests
The 3 fall, 6 fall, or multi-fall blooms being
viewed from the side were also bred with arching falls, however, not as severe
as the Ise form. These are large flowers with very large style arms and upright
crests being the “heart” of the flower.
Ball form of the Japanese iris
There are
also recognized flower forms that we today would call novelty. The “Ball” form is
a flower that does not open fully staying in the balloon stage, or slightly
opening up as Yae-gyokuhoren.
The raptors talons of the claw form
The “Claw”
form is very self-describing. Do you see the raptors claws?
Hose-n-Hose is one flower inside of another
Rare is the
true Hose-n-Hose form. This flower may look at first glance to be a multi-fall
bloom, however, look at the placement of the pollen anthers and you will
discover that this is truly one flower inside or on top of another. These
flowers do not have any seed in the ovaries, they only show layers of more
flower parts (petals) one on top of another.
Multiple style arms and crests a form being embraced in the United States
Fast
becoming a modern favorite flower form here in the United States is the
“Multi-Style Arm”. When the anthers become extra style arms, they make for a
tight tuft in the center of the flower. This does have drawbacks as there
usually is no pollen to be found. It is also difficult to find which correct style
arm to put pollen on for future breeding of the flower. I do not know if this
form is found or embraced in Japan and would like to hear from other growers.
For further
reading on this subject: The Japanese Iris, by Currier McEwen; Classic Irises
and the men and women who created them (chapter 4), by Clarence E. Mahan; and
The Japan Iris Society web-site at http://www.japan-iris.org, here you will find English written
papers by Hiroshi Shimizu.
