Iris brevicaulis the Short Stemmed Iris

by Jim Murrain

Iris brevicaulis is a Louisiana Iris species. It was first described from a plant found in Jackson County, Missouri on June 6, 1897. It still grows in the same location. That specimen is considered the 'type' or what all descriptions of this Iris are based upon. It was described and named Iris foliosa, the leafy Iris. Iris brevicaulis had previously been named, but the description was changed to match I. foliosa and the currently accepted name is Iris brevicaulis, the short stemmed Iris.

Above and below: I. brevicaulis from the 'type' location in Missouri.

I. brevicaulis  is the hardiest and most wide ranging of the Louisiana irises. It has been found from Leavenworth, Kansas all the way to  the northeast shore of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada, as far southwest as The Big Thicket of east Texas and southeast into the Florida Panhandle.

Below is one from Alabama.

Oh course, as with all Louisiana irises (and the reason for the descriptive name) the greatest concentrations are found in and near the bayous of south Louisiana. I. brevicaulis, however,  prefers it drier than the other members of its group and is found above the riverbanks and in moist fields.

A purple and a dark blue found in Arkansas.

It readily hybridizes with the other Louisiana Iris species and imparts greater hardiness and a lessened need for wet conditions, so it should be used even more in hybridization.

Below is an interesting color form, named 'Finders Keepers', selected by Frank Chowning and registered in 1961. There is still much of interest in the straight species and they are worth growing on their own merits.

There is also a registered 'All Falls' with six falls and no standards that I would love to see, and several selections of white flowered forms.

Iris brevicaulis is the easiest of all Louisiana Iris species to grow and the latest to flower, thus a fine season extender.  Consider adding this iris to your garden.

9 Out Of 10 Gardeners Recommend Crests

by Jim Murrain

The best known of the Crested Iris is Iris tectorum. It is often referred to as the 'Japanese Roof Iris'. Of course we now know that it is not native to Japan nor does it grow on roofs unless forced to do so. It is one of the most common of the irises native to China. 

 It is very easily grown from seed or, thanks to its fairly large rhizomes, from divisions. Iris tectorum seeds have been available via the SIGNA (Species Iris Group of North America) Seed Exchange every year since I joined almost 25 years ago. It remains a very popular iris.

When grown from seed and a goodly number planted in your garden you can admire the many different shades of lavender and even white this iris manifests.

However we must take note of the crests! They can vary a lot on each seedling and somewhat on each fall! It can look almost like a simple beard or large jagged ridge to wild shapes that remind me of corals seen  under water. 

The amount of spotting or water marks on Iris tectorum can also be highly variable. It can have clear clean colors to heavily marked petals. The marks show predominantly on the falls but can manifest on the standards also. 

This is one Iris where you can say "I have the blue, now I want the white". But the fun of growing a number from seed is to see the natural variations that can occur.

Even after being grown world wide for many years there are only a few named selections available, and they were primarily chosen for larger flowers or the amount of spotting. None of the odd forms have been chosen. I'm sure some of you would enjoy a monstrous form as seen here:

Iris tectorum has a huge range in its native land and can be grown in most places where people live. It will need a protected location in very cold climes and may benefit from growing in a pot under shade in warmer areas to help keep it cool when dormant. It is a fun iris in so many ways, and so easy even a child can grow it.

Most of the photos were taken in the garden of Rick Davis of Independence, Missouri and grown from SIGNA seed.