By Maggie Asplet
Finally, I have time to complete the second part of this article relating
to crested irises. Holidays and ill
health sometimes get in our way. I think
you will all be the same when I say “it is life’.
To recap in part one we looked at I
confusa, Martyn Rix, Chengdu, Queen’s Grace, Question Mark, and Kilkivan.
Today we will continue looking at some of these bigger forms of the crested
iris, starting with I. wattii, with tall, tapering and sword like leaves
which are heavily ribbed. It has deep
lavender spots like those of I. japonica
outlining the haft. This iris was
discovered in 1892 by John Gilbert Baker, in the Himalayas
& China area.
I must confess that this iris I don’t have growing at home, as I seem to
have a great habit of killing it off.
Photos courtesy of Roger Haworth
Iris ‘Bourne Graceful’
Bourne
Graceful has a medium size flower which is deep lilac-blue with strong
orange-yellow signal surrounded by old gold to dark violet flecks and a violet
border around the white signal area. The flowers are borne on distinctive green
stems that become darker towards the bottom, but the plant itself has no canes.
The long glossy leaves are ribbed and coloured purple at the base.
Registered
by Dr J R Ellis in 1975. It stands tall
at 42’ (107cm) and classed an early to mid season for flowering. I. japonica var. Ledgers X I. japonica var.
Photo courtesy of Huib Selderbeek
Iris ‘Nada’
J.N. Giridlian of California hybridized I. confuse and I. japonica in 1936. The plant grows about 18
“ (45 cm) tall and the flower spike can reach to about 24’ (60 cm) Although each flower only lasts about two
days, the entire spike will remain in bloom for over a month as new flowers
open to replace spent blooms. It is very floriferous and each spike will
produce about 25-50 flowers.
I am pleased to say this one I can grow quite successfully and I think
it has the sweetest little flowers.
Iris 'Nobody’s Child'
This is the first of
three lovely iris hybridised in New Zealand.
In 1993 Isobel Simpson registered iris as SPEC (evansia), growing to 11"
(28 cm). The standards are light
lavender blue, edged paler; the falls are pale lavender blue, royal blue at end
of crest, olive brown to deep blue spots; sweet-musky fragrance. Parentage unknown.
Photo
courtesy of Huib Selderbeek
Iris ‘Honiana’
Hybridised by Mrs. F. Love in 1984, growing to 22" (56 cm). Described as mauve with khaki brown markings
on falls, white crests, with a sweet fragrance. This is a cross between Question Mark X I.
tectorum.
Photo
courtesy of Huib Selderbeek
Iris ‘Revie’s Legacy’
A fairly recent
registration (Joy Turner by Ron Goudswaard) in 2010. Taller than the previous two growing to 59"
(150 cm) and is classed early flowering.
The standards are
pale lavender-blue, darker edges, near white center; style arms pale lavender; falls
are white edged lavender-blue, white overlaid with ochre brown dashes radiating
out from crest changing to dark blue dots and blotches toward edge of white
area; appears plicata pattern.
It is probably a
cross between Question Mark x I. tectorum.
Photo
courtesy of Huib Selderbeek
I have not
covered any of the smaller iris that belong in this section. This I will leave for another day. It won’t be long before we start to see the
beautiful flowers of these again as we are heading towards winter (fall) here.
