By Maggie Asplet
When thinking about what I would write for this blog, it
was before our main spring bloom season, just at a time when the sight of
things to come was teasing us. Many of
our New Zealand iris lovers have these beautiful irises in their garden. I am talking about the “butterfly iris” or
more correctly Iris japonica and some
of the different hybrids.
This iris is a native of
China and Japan, a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus of Limniris and in the Lophiris section.
It is a rhizomatous perennial plant, with pale blue, lavender or white flowers with an orange or
yellow crest. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.
Often referred to as either a Crested
Iris or an Evansia, and then there is Iris
confusa. Confused, I sure am. I
quite like the term “butterfly iris” and look forward to any discussion
relating to the correct naming. This is
one section of the iris world that I need to learn more about.
Iris confusa (?) in my garden
Actually, as I started my research on these irises, I was
rather surprised to fine how many I have, so more research and understanding is
required.
The next one is a delightful clump of Iris confusa ‘Martyn Rix’, in my garden
Named for a UK plants man Martyn Rix, this iris gets
bamboo-like stems to 2'-3' (80 – 95 cm) topped by fans of long green leaves
from which the long flower stems emerge bearing a swarm of dark blue-violet
flowers which are deeper coloured than typical for the species.
Another similar iris known as ‘Chengdu’, is often
confused for the above iris. Similar in
size but slightly different in depth of colour.
Registered by Jean Witt in 1997, this Evansia SPEC grows to around 24”
(61 cm). Standards and style arms are
light lavender, the falls slightly darker, signal white with medium lavender
halo and a yellow crest. Originally
collected in 1980 by Jeanne Gardiner between Kanding, Tibet and Yaan, Sichuan,
China around 3000’ elevation.
‘Chengdu’ in my garden, which was
flowering in late September
Now to look at some of the hybrids created in New Zealand
Queen’s Grace, growing in my garden
Queen’s Grace is a cross between I. wattii X I. tectorum hybridized by Jean Stevens in 1955. 36" (91 cm), standards are clear
lavender-blue, the falls same flecked deeper at haft; multi-ridges crest on
falls, cream-white flecked brown.
We still have a number of gardens where it is blooming in New Zealand.
Question Mark
Registered in 1982 by Revie Harvey, this Evansia grown to
54-60” (137-152cm). Smooth pale lilac,
deeper toned fleck markings, bright gold crests, signal points radiate from
crests, dark green foliage topping dark purple green canes. It is of unknown parentage but probably I. wattii X Darjrrling or I. Confusa
Kilkivan
Registered by Mrs M Harvey in
1982, this Evansia grows to 54-60” (137-152 cm). It is pale lavender with pale gold crest on
white zone, numerous deep lavender signal markings, pale lavender style arms
with fringed tips; deep green foliage topping medium
green canes. Parentage is an Ellis white
sdlg. X Question Mark.
In Part Two we will continue to look at what I have growing in my garden, and others from around the country.
