Hybridizing Louisiana (LA) Irises

Hybridizing Louisiana (LA) irises, or any iris, is great fun and can produce an iris that you can name and introduce.  Hybridizing is simply taking the pollen from one iris (the pollen parent) and applying the pollen to another iris (the pod parent).  There is really nothing very technical about it and anyone can "hybridize" with just a little instruction.

Seedling by Ron Betzer of Lafayette, LA

When you cross one iris with another the "pod parent" will set the seeds.  In LA irises this can produce from 20 to 80 seeds.  The seed pod is harvested after it has ripened and the seeds are carefully removed from the pod.  I usually soak the seeds in water a few days and then plant them immediately.  The "seedlings" (plants obtained from planting seeds) will usually germinate starting in about November.  The seedlings will grow through the fall, the next year, and bloom the third year.

Seedling by Ron Killingsworth

This is one of my seedlings from a cross I made between 'Jeri' by N. Bertinot (1984) and 'Night Thunder' by R. Morgan (2000). The seedling I will discuss is the one in the center.  The seedling to the right is a different seedling from the same "cross".  'Jeri' is a very dark iris and 'Night Thunder' is also very dark, almost black.  'Night Thunder' has a beautiful gold steeple signal (the color markings on LA iris where the beard is located on Tall Bearded irises) and I wanted to try to produce a 'Jeri' with the signal from 'Night Thunder'.  Most of the seedlings were very similar to 'Jeri' or to 'Night Thunder' but this cross of two dark irises produced the above reddish iris.  It does have the 'Night Thunder' signal.  But from this cross I also had some blue seedlings. 'Night Thunder' won the Mary Swords DeBallion Medal, present by the Society for LA Irises but selected by the American Iris Society judges.  This medal is the highest award within the LA iris species (i.hexagonae).

Seedling by Ron Killingsworth

This blueish seedling came from the same cross.  It is not an outstanding seedling but look at the bud count!  You can enlarge the picture by clicking on it.  Count the number of current and spent buds.

Seedling by Ron Killingsworth

This seedling came from a cross between 'Night Thunder' and 'C'est Si Bon' by J. C. Taylor (1983).  'C'est Si Bon' has a white spray pattern around the signal and I wanted to produce more irises with the pattern.  This seedling is actually darker than the picture.  I have a hard time getting nice pictures with a digital camera when the iris is really dark or dark purple.

If you are interested in trying your hand at "hybridizing" there are many books available that discuss the subject and you can also obtain information from the Society for Louisiana Iris.  Just click on the button for "hybridizing".

Read up, become an "expert" and then get out there and dob some pollen! If you are interested in crossing irises of different species, take a look at the web site for The Species Iris Group of North America.  The folks in that organization will cross anything!

The irises beckon so off I go to take more pictures.

IRISES Spring Issue

If you can't wait to read and look at the exciting iris pictures on every issue of IRISES, well you don't have to wait much longer. Here's the cover of the spring issue of IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society.

As you know, IRISES is published quarterly and sent to members of the AIS via either printed format or shared with e-members via a digital reader. So, now no matter where you live in the world you can enjoy perusing this magnificent magazine cover to cover as soon as it's released.  To find out how easy it is to become a member of The American Iris Society, click here.

The featured articles in this issue of IRISES include:

• My Favorite Irises: by Jim Hedgecock, Missouri (front cover is a clue)
• Selling Irises at the Farmers Market: by Pat McNeal, Maryland
• Basic Bearded Iris Pests and Deceases: by Editor Kelley D. Norris, Iowa
• An Iris Dream: by Naomi DiVincenzo, Colorado
• The Genetic Domain on TB irises: by Dan H. Meckenston, Kansas
• The Quest for Orange: by Heather Pryor, Australia
• Illumination: by Keith Keppel, Oregon
• 2012 Photo Contest Rules

And some of the regular sections are:

• Section Happenings
• Milestones
• Youth Views
• In Your Backyard
• Photographing Irises
• Convention Information

We hope you will receive this issue of IRISES in the next couple of weeks, and or check The American Iris Society website to find out if the electronic copy has been posted.

We appreciate your support, and hope to see you at the National Convention to be held in Ontario, California on April 16 - 21.

The Amazing Plicatas of Jim Gibson

After a visit to the garden of Dr. Sydney B. Mitchell in 1940 Jim Gibson embarked on a quest to improve the color range in the plicata pattern in irises. He went home that day with pollen from a brown toned seedling and put it on 'Sacramento', the only plicata still blooming in his garden in Porterville, CA. And thus started a long line of iris breeding that lasted across five decades and took Mr. Gibson to the height of acclaim in the iris world when his beautiful 'Kilt Lilt' won the Dykes Memorial Medal in 1976. He was also awarded the AIS Hybridizers Medal in 1965, and the Premio Firenze Medal in international competition in Italy that same year.

[Photo by K.Keppel, courtesy AIS Slide library]

I first noticed the Gibson varieties when I started collecting old Cooley's Gardens catalogs. Cooley's introduced his creations for many years and featured dozens of beautiful photos of them. Having early been hooked on brown irises you can imagine how fascinated I was with the rainbow of brown toned irises Mr. Gibson had made for us. Colors and tones that didn't appear in any other pattern were routinely coming out of the Gibson breeding lines. His work greatly expanded the palette available for the garden and the iris border. Here are a few that I have collected.

1960's introduction 'Chinquapin' is a beautifully tailored flower in a delicious golden-brown that always makes me think of cinnamon toast. Like many of Mr. Gibson's creations, it is not a flashy color and has a rather somber aspect when shaded, but once the sun hits shines down it lights up with warm, rich, sparkling tones.


The following year Cooley's introduced a variety that was to gain wide renown and find an enduring popularity. 'Cayenne Capers' was a deep, rich, red-pepper plicata that caught everyone's eye. The coloration so thickly applied that only a small patch of cream at the center of the falls showed thru. It is still a favorite with collectors today. It is a hardy, vigorous grower and reliable of bloom as well.


1962 was a banner year, with several fabulous introductions, of which I have three: 'Wild Ginger', a large, ruffled soft golden brown that shows pinker tones in the sun; 'Dream Spun', a blend of pinkish amethyst on white with lots of flare; and 'Siva Siva', a rich combination of old-gold standards over mahogany-red on white falls. All three were big advances in color and form for plicatas.


The sunlight completely changes their tones taking them from drab to dramatic in an instant.


With the widely flaring falls on 'Siva Siva' a clump in full bloom appears like a cloud of whirling dervishes. It brings energy and exuberance to the perennial border.


'Flashing Gem' from 1963 is an excellent iris featuring large blooms on tall stems. Tho the blooms sport a nice wave to the petals, an overall smooth grace is the effect to the eye. Mr. Gibson relied on the Sass iris 'Tiffany' in his early work and you can see the influence here, but in a much cleaner and more distinct pattern. The flowers are a soft, buttery yellow ringed with a deep rose-pink.


1963 brought us the out-of-this-world styling of 'In Orbit'. Nothing like it had been seen before, a dazzling new pattern for plicatas. The standards are a solid tan with a light flush of violet, while the falls are white deeply peppered with dark plum.Such a vivid and striking combination and one of my favorites.


'Radiant Apogee', from 1966, is well named - it is one of the brightest yellows in the garden. A sparkling lemony yellow with falls banded the same on a white ground. Cute little freckles of brown are faintly and lightly scattered across the hafts, and one occasionally ventures further down. A very hardy and floriferous variety.


That same year also brought us 'Heather Hawk', described as pinkish-copper it is certainly a very different shade for a flower. The colors lighten as the bloom ages, and the petals sport lots of ruffles and waves.


'Native Chief', also a '66 introduction, is warm and rich in buckskin brown tones enlivened with plenty of gold undertones. A peppering of brown at the hafts adds more interest. the flowers are large and flaring as well.


1970's 'Island Holiday' is a brassy golden yellow with falls that sport a cream-toned center sprinkled all over with cinnamon. A big, bright, and bold flower. I can't decide if I like it or not, but it refuses to be ignored.


The last one I have to share is also from 1970. 'Mod Mode' features petals of palest pink lightly and delicately stitched rose-pink. The ruffles and waves are very pronounced, with the blooms appearing almost like seashells. A really lovely and delicate variety.


Jim Gibson was truly one of the greats in iris hybridizing, and he did so much to advance the palette and form in the flower, most especially with his plicatas. These are only a fraction of the work he did over his lifetime, and his varieties are well worth growing, enjoying and preserving for the future. I look forward to many years of beauty in my garden from his effort and inspiration, and I hope you will be inspired to look for his varieties for your garden as well.

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Are you growing any Gibson plicatas? Tell us about them in the comments here or on our Facebook page, which is linked at the top left of the page.
Happy gardening!

Iris Classics: 'W.R. Dykes'

How thrilling it is to see an original copy of the classic tome on the genus Iris by William Rickatson Dykes being offered for auction at the upcoming AIS Convention. It is very rare to see one of these prized classics being offered. In honor of this event I thought I'd highlight the classic iris named for the author - 'W.R. Dykes'. While this is one of the most important irises in the development of tall bearded yellows it is rarely seen today.


'W.R.Dykes' is a tall iris, usually reaching 3 feet, and sports large yellow blooms often streaked and mottled with red. Its appearance today tho is not how it originally started. When it was introduced in 1926 after Mr. Dykes' death it was renowned as the largest and clearest yellow yet to be created. But it was not long before the streaking and splotching showed up, which is most often blamed on the iris mosaic virus. Today the variety in my garden is usually quite heavily covered in red. It is not the most beautiful iris, but it certainly is interesting. Long lost or discarded from commerce or collections, in 1996 it was spotted growing at Presby with its name still attached by a group of intrepid HIPSters that made a pilgrimage during the Convention that year. It has since been put back into commerce by Superstition Iris Gardens and is now growing in many collections around the US.


Just as Mr. Dykes had many interests and is remembered for numerous contributions to the scientific knowledge and advancement of many plant species, 'W.R. Dykes' has more than one claim to fame as well. It was not only a great advance in size and color for yellows, with numerous prodigy that went even further in developing the class, but was also in the foundation of those few varieties used by Dave Hall to create his flamingo pink lines. It genes are still with us scattered among thousands of descendants.


While this variety is never going to be loved for its disfigured blooms and poor growth, it is loved by collectors that appreciate its history, and the tragic history of Mr. Dykes and his wife Katherine both whom died young - he after a car wreak and she after a train derailment. Read the whole story of Mr. Dykes in Clarence Mahan's book Classic Irises and the Men and Women Who Created Them. Read about the rediscovery of 'W.R. Dykes' at Presby over on the HIPS website. Who knows. Maybe the stories surrounding this variety, and all the comment and controversy that followed it thru the years, will inspire you to find beauty in its novelty and history. And perhaps you'll seek it out and add it to your garden so we can keep it around for future generations to wonder over. It's not an Iris for everyone, but it is a classic.

Siberian, Species and Japanese Irises

I was so disappointed to hear about the cancellation of the Siberian and Species Convention, but then the Ensata Gardens Catalog arrived and on the cover the glorious Japanese iris called 'Alexisaurus,' which seems to indicate an enormous bloom; and that act of viewing this iris and the catalog, these mere mortal and ordinary activities, just took my breath away and once again had an out of body experience. (Wait a minute, I meant to keep that to myself.) In any case, my disappointment somehow disappeared, and an air of calm overcame me.

Ensata says that 'Alexisaurus' is a pure white tetraploid Jill Copeland 2012 introduction of flairing form, with 6-inch blooms. Here it is, you be the judge. Would this take your breath away?

Then, after viewing the entire collection of irises carried by Ensata, the catalog concludes with another amazing looking Siberian iris, by hibridizer and fellow blog contributor, Bob Hollingsworth. It's his 2012 introduction 'Lemmon Mousse.' Bob says that,"a clump makes a sweet dessert of yellow and white confection. Lemon yellow buds open to yellow blooms that change to near white with yellow signals by mid day." Man, am I taking this experience too seriously or are these beautiful irises inspiring you too?

I could not keep this information to myself, so here it is.

The information about the Siberian and Species Iris Convention postponement is here, and for information about a future Convention date, please check the Siberian Iris Society's website.

Growing Louisiana irises - Part I

Louisiana (LA) irises are part of the "rhizome" sub-division of the species iris.  They are further divided into the sub-division "beardless" irises.  Bearded irises such as the "Tall Bearded" irises are grown throughout the US but do not grow well in the heat of some southern states such as LA, MS and FL, while LA irises flourish in the heat and also will grow in colder climates.

'Honey Star' by J. Hutchinson (1991) from Australia

'Honey Star' has just bloomed in our gardens.  We are having a really early spring this year and the LA irises are starting to pop out everywhere.  LA irises have a bloom season lasting about one and a half months here in northwest LA.  Some irises bloom early, some bloom in the mid season, and some bloom late.  By selecting the irises you want to grow by season as well as beauty, you can have an extended bloom period in your garden. Bloom season starts, usually, in early April and continues into mid May in NW LA.  Bloom season for LA irises in Rochester, NY, is in June or July.

We have already talked about the different ways you can grow LA irises so now we will spend some time on how to plant them.  LA irises should be moved in the fall.  We want them planted after the hot summer is over and before the first frost.  I like to plant them so that they are well established before the real cold starts.  You will have to consider the climate in your area and order your irises to arrive at the appropriate time. When you order LA irises from a supplier they will arrive by mail or other delivery methods and will be trimmed, the rhizome (root part of the plant) will be wrapped in wet paper, and the name of the iris will be either written on the foliage of the iris or on a tag attached to the iris. Unlike tall bearded irises, the rhizome of the LA irises must not be allowed to dry out in shipping.  I suggest you unpack your iris shipment and then remove all the packing materials.  Find an appropriate size container and fill it with about five inches of water.  Then place the LA irises in the contained so the rhizomes are covered with water and the foliage is above water.  The foliage should have already been cut back to 6-8 inches.  If not, now is a good time to do that.  Let the irises set in the water for a couple of days while you finish the preparation of your beds or pots.

LA iris rhizome ready to be planted with clump of  'Clyde Redmond' by Charles Arny (1970) in background

LA irises should be planted one to one and a half inches above the top of the rhizome. The rhizome should never be exposed to the sun. If the LA iris rhizomes start to grow up above the soil, it is time to dig them up, divide them, give some to your neighbors, and replant. Once I have planted the rhizome I give it a good watering and then try to just keep the soil moist, not too wet, until the foliage starts to grow out where it was cut for shipment.

Now that we have the iris planted, we can sit back and watch it grow!

'Creole Rhapsody' by Joe Mertzweiller (1998)

 'Creole Rhapsody' is a great iris with a great name.  It is very big and has beautiful colors.

Next we will continue our discussion of growing LA irises.

My Earliest Bloomers

Spring came early to Southern California this year, as it has in many places in the country. Although it may seem hard to believe, these photos of the tall bearded reblooming iris 'Recurring Dream' (Hager, 1992) were taken on March 13.

The next iris to join the party was 'Lady Friend.' It was moved to this spot last year because I expected it to bloom next to the red Japanese Blood Grass and the pinkish-red gazanias nearby. They may catch up to her, but they had better hurry.  

I did not expect 'Recurring Dream' to bloom at the same time as 'Lady Friend,' and I have not adjusted to this color combination. Perhaps it will grow on me.

This is another unexpected bloom.  A neighbor grows 'Superstition,' an almost-black iris, and I thought it would look fabulous next to my new pale yellow Austin rose 'Symphony' with almost-black violas.  I went over after it was done blooming and dug up a few rhizomes- of the wrong iris.  A nice, tall NOID (no identification) now blooms in 'Superstition's' spot.

Here is a photograph of all three of my earliest bloomers.  I eliminated all purple from my garden two years ago.  Purple is invasive.

Early blooming iris varieties are a wonderful sight in the garden.  Iris foliage in the early spring is a beautiful sight on its own, and stands up well to other non-blooming perennials as a statement in the garden.

I had no idea what to put around this pond, and it sat there looking sad and barren until I hit upon the brilliant idea of putting in plants with my favorite spiky foliage.  Louisiana iris 'Spanish Ballet' (a gift from my friend Judith Gasser) is in the foreground and a historic iris that has been on the property since, oh, maybe the 1940s, is planted in the clump at center.  I'll be sure to post photos when they bloom, but they are there for the foliage.

From the other direction:

And from the other side of the pond.

Spuria irises purchased at the San Fernando Valley Iris Society plant sale wait for me to finish the masonry on a new iris bed in front of the plunge pool.  I planted them in coffee cans with the bottoms removed.  The plastic lids underneath have holes poked into them for drainage.  When I remove the plastic, the irises will slide right out without too much trauma (she says with great confidence and no experience).



Other irises are ready to bloom within a week or two.  Hager's 1992  'Total Recall,' Keppel's 2002 'Telepathy,'  Holk's 1995  'Rose Teall,'  Gibson's 1994 'Frequent Flyer,' Gaulter's 1976 'Persian Berry,' Burseen's 1992 'Fashion Passion,' and Begley's 1988 'Tennison Ridge' are all getting ready to roll.  'Northwest Progress' (Schreiner, 1997) is a good sport; it will be blooming at the same time as the ajuga I put in to match its colors.

In other parts of the country, standard dwarf bearded irises and species irises are the first to bloom.   Which are the first in your part of  the world?  Do you grow any early bloomers in your garden? 

June Siberian Convention Has Been Postponed

In Holland, a pretty town on Lake Michigan, the Dutch heritage is strong, and naturally they have an annual tulip festival, which is where the picture below was taken. This year it is scheduled for May 5-12. Just one problem. The tulips are already in bloom there in the 3^rd week of March.

They aren’t the only people with a problem. We have scheduled our triennial Siberian & Species convention for early June this year. What to do? As I write this on March 22^nd the outside temperature is 83^o. There have been temperatures above 60^o virtually every day for the last 17 day and mostly in the high 70s with three days in the 80s. Yesterday it was 86^o (that’s high summer around here and exactly 40^o above normal!). We have had 8 new record highs in the last 9 days. Having lived in the Midwest for 45 years, this is not jut unusual, it is virtually unimaginable. What is more, it follows a remarkably mild winter which saw flowers bloom here in January (hellebores) for the first time in my recollection. And the forecast is for warmer than normal weather to continue through into the early summer here.

Because of the unbelievable early warmth, we are now in full spring mode with flowers and leaves popping like champagne corks. Irises are 6 inches high and our friends at Ensata Gardens say they have just put on their first borer spray. This is 4-6 weeks ahead of any normal year. So, even with some return to sanity in the weather, there seems to be little chance that we will see any bloom left at the time when the convention was originally scheduled. Also, we have at least 6 weeks yet to go before the normal date for the last killing frost. If we revert to that norm, a freeze would decimate the irises. So we have sorrowfully agreed to postpone the Convention until next year. Hopefully this decision is taken early enough that not too many people have already made travel plans. If they have, please contact Judy Hollingworth at cyberiris@ att.net. At least next year the guest irises, already very healthy clumps, should be a sight to behold.

OK, OK I know, we shouldn’t whine too much. We are far from alone in experiencing this extraordinary early growth season which has been widespread across the eastern US, and certainly many others, such as fruit growers, have much more at risk from a perfectly normal frost or two in April or even early May. But, now we have a convention to reschedule for 2013. When should that be? 

This year is insanely early, but what about 2011? Perversely, that was so cold in the spring that our local iris society canceled its late May show because we had so little bloom – only the second such cancellation anyone could recall. No help there then. OK, so maybe we should turn to the long-range weather forecasters, from the Farmer’s Almanac to the National Weather Service. But then we recall that the one word that stood out across the board for the winter weather forecast this last winter was “brutal” with predictions of lots of cold blasts and snow. And how did that turn out? The golfers were teeing off in January wearing light sweaters. So forget that too. So who do we turn to? Well, maybe you can help. There is a theory called “The Wisdom of Crowds” that says that in making judgments in uncertain situations, the joint estimates of the many are smarter than the ideas of experts. So here’s your chance. Post your vote for the bloom season in 2013 – will it be (a) unusually early, (b) pretty much normal, or (c) later than normal. If we can get enough people to vote, we’ll go with that wisdom as the best guess.

Looking on the brighter side, maybe we should just enjoy this experience. The winter was short and relatively sweet. Spring is glorious whenever it comes. The heating bills are a pleasure to behold. And just to keep everyone ready for the bloom season whenever that may be, here are a couple of Siberian garden pictures. Won’t be long!

Iris Classics: 'Romeo'

It is not uncommon for an old iris to have lost its name, nor to find one that is mislabeled, but it is rather uncommon to get the right name back on an iris. Just such a situation happened with this weeks iris classic, "Romeo", a charming creation of the famed French firm Millet et Fils, from 1912. For many years this iris was passed around among iris collectors under the false name of "Phaunauge", an old German variety by the firm of Goos & Koenemann. This error was one of many discovered after the Historic Iris Preservation Society was formed and started verifying identities on historic collections.


A few years after HIPS was founded, Phil Edinger, one of the most knowledgeable persons on the planet when it comes to historic irises, discovered the error. In a 1993 article for the HIPS Bulletin ROOTS he writes:

How many of us grow one labeled Pfauenauge (Goos & Koenemann 1906)? By this name (or its literal translation, "Peacock's Eye"), this distinctive iris has made the rounds among collectors for at least several decades. It was one of my earlier historic acquisitions, and even now it is distinct among the diploids I know because of the prominent and exaggerated purple "shoulders" on the falls.

My confidence in its identity was troubled, though, some years after I had been growing it. One day I came face to face with the cover of the January 1961 AIS Bulletin. There was "Peacock's Eye," sporting a Best-in Show rosette - but the cover caption called it Romeo (Millet et fils 1912). "Well!" I thought: "they must be wrong," or at least 90% wrong. But the 10% doubt forced me to read descriptions of the two irises in the Chronicles for Goos and Koenemann and Millet. And what I found wiped out my 90% certainty of the Pfauenauge/"Peacock's Eye" identification.

After that HIPS members spent many years spreading the word on the mix-up and now you hardly ever see "Phaunauge" listed in the catalogs and collections, while many, many gardeners are enjoying "Romeo".


It was described in the Treholme Gardens catalog for 1928 as:

"S. fine bright lemon-yellow; F. mauve and rich red-violet with throat striped and penciled maroon on white. Similar to Princess Victoria Louise, [sic] but smaller and not reliable." I'd take issue with that designation of unreliable. Perhaps in Maryland it was not so happy but it is still found thriving in many part of the US and Europe. Its persistence says a lot. The slender stems sport numerous small flowers with a great flare and lovely colors, in a dramatic pattern that really catches the eye. It is really fantastic, especially in a clump."

There are countless old diploid irises from the dawn of hybridizing being passed around bereft of their true names. It's something special when one of them can be reunited with its moniker and reintroduced to the iris world for preservation. What a joy it is that the charm of "Romeo" is going to be with us and its story known. Read more about this variety in the article Of Exotic Birds and Tragic Lovers on the HIPS website, and in Clarance Mahan's wonderful book Classic Irises and the Men and Women Who Created Them. The fascinating history of "Romeo" is only surpassed by its beauty in the garden. It's a classic.

What are Louisiana Irises and Can I Grow Them?

Louisiana irises are the official "wildflower" of the state of Louisiana.  The official flower of the state of Louisiana is the magnolia, which is also the state flower of several of the southern states.

'Cotton Plantation' by Mary Dunn (1994)

Louisiana irises, or LA (for short) irises, are beardless irises of the species Iris.Hexagonae. They are commonly referred to as Louisiana irises although they are grown throughout the world and across the United States. They are native flowers originally found in the bayous and marshes of South Louisiana, along the Mississippi River, and across most of the southern states.

Louisiana irises are water loving irises and are heavy feeders.  If they are not watered enough in the long dry summers, they will simply go dormant and wait for the fall rains.  Although they really like water, they can be grown with other plants.  I grow them with many different plants and in many different ways.  I find they grow well in pots, in raised beds, in dug beds, in the edge of ponds or streams, and just about any other way of growing plants.  Much emphasis is put on their desire for water; however, they will grow fine without being soaked in water.  They do like to have almost full sun. I suggest you try to shield them from the very hot afternoon sun if you live in a very hot-summers type of climate.

I have heard "They are hard to grow!"  This is a statement I heard from gardeners even in the state of Louisiana.  This is simply not true.  I even went to Fort Worth, TX to give a talk to a group of iris lovers on growing Louisiana irises and was told they could not grow them in the Fort Worth area.  I found that interesting because the Dallas iris group has many members growing Louisiana irises and had hosted the Society for Louisiana Irises convention in past years and will again host the convention in 2013.

This picture (click on it for a larger view) was taken in my front yard area a while back.  I had dug up all the Louisiana irises in the raised bed at the top of the picture and just thrown them down on the ground by the edge of the bed.  I amended the soil in the bed and then replanted the irises.  I obviously missed some of them because a few months later I took this picture of the "missed" irises growing right where I had thrown them.  I believe that you can throw a Louisiana iris on the ground, sort of push it down in the dirt with your foot, and it will grow!

This picture was taken in an area we call the "deer meadow" and shows Louisiana irises growing with poppies and many other "wildflowers".

This picture shows Louisiana irises growing in the edge of a small pond (called a "tank" in Texas) we call  "rock pond" because it has a large limestone rock in the middle of the pond.

So, in summary, Louisiana irises are easy to grow. They do like a lot of water.  Do not plant them in your cacti bed but you can certainly grow them with many other plants. They like to be fed at least twice a year and we feed them in the fall and about a month before they bloom in the spring.  They like sunlight and if they do not get enough direct sunlight, they will produce nice foliage but will probably not bloom for you. They are grown from Maine to Florida, from Florida to California, from California to Washington, and in most states in between. They are grown in New Zealand, Australia, South America, England, parts of Canada, Russia and many other nations of the world.

Here are some interesting commercial web sites that will give you more information on growing Louisiana (LA) irises:

Aitken's Salmon Creek Gardens 
Bois d'Arc Gardens
Iris City Gardens
Louisiana Iris Farms
Louisiana Iris Gardens
Seabrook Nursery and Gardens
Zydeco Louisiana Iris Gardens

Next time we will go into more detail about how to plant those Louisiana irises. So, look at some of these sights and start picking out the ones you want to grow!

The Genus Iris: By William Rickatson Dykes (Published 1913)

We, at the American Iris Society have a very important manuscript in our hands and we wanted to share the news with you and let you know that this original piece of art will be available for auction at the next National Convention to be held in Ontario, California, April 16 - 21. Keep reading below for a history of the Dykes Monograph, and how it could actually end up in your hands.

Bob Pries, our AIS PR and Marketing Committee Co-Chair put the following words together to give you an idea of the importance of this publication.

History of The Dykes Monograph
In 2013 we will be celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the publication of the most important written work in the history of iris, William Rickatson Dykes' "The Genus Iris." To understand its significance one needs to understand the world leading up to its publication.

In 1890 the USA had conquered the American West. The frontier was gone, and America was suffering an identity crisis. The natural world had been not only tamed, but decimated. The great herds of bison, and flocks of passenger pigeons, whooping cranes, etc. were disappearing. Even hunters like Teddy Roosevelt could sense a need to save and understand the wilderness and wild species.

However, in England the conquest of the British Empire was still going forth. The Royal Botanical Gardens was being overwhelmed by botanical trophies from this vast Empire. Joseph Dalton Hooker, and later John Gilbert Baker, as keepers of the herbarium were seeing a huge increase in our knowledge of natural history. These professional botanists worked with amateur gardener/scientists to help in the overwhelming tasks of studying the massive collection of specimens.

Scanned drawing of iris fulva

The first great Iris gardener/scientist was Michael Foster (1836-1907). Foster was a physician and professor of human physiology. He literally wrote the text that was used for many years in that field. Amazingly, he also found time to garden. He made careful observations of new species that were pouring into England. He published, sometimes weekly, his thoughts on Iris in The Gardeners Chronicles. It is hard to say which was more important, his work in human physiology or his study of Irises. He received a knighthood, probably for both. A young protégé of Sir Michael Foster was William Rickatson Dykes (1877-1925). Like Foster he grew plants in his garden, making careful observations and recording them in the same journals. He also was a gardener/scientist. One wonders how he as headmaster of a school for boys could find all the time, but somehow he did. Dykes continued the work of Foster, going even further, seeing more species, and writing extensively.

Scanned drawing of a Dutch iris

By 1912 Dykes had assembled in his monograph, "The Genus Iris," all the knowledge of iris that was in the literature and added much more of his own.

It is worth emphasizing the fact that he was not a scientist as we think of today, who is paid for doing his research -- iris was an avocation, a labor of love. Interestingly, for almost the last hundred years it has been the gardener/scientists who have done the most to further iris information: George Rodionenko, Fritz Kohlein, and Brian Mathew. There is still much to be learned, and gardeners can still contribute with careful observations.

When we speak of a monograph, we are speaking of one work where all the known knowledge is assembled. Dykes did this so well, most subsequent works have not repeated to this degree. The British Iris Society's Species Guide to Iris is today's monograph, but for almost 80 years nothing came close.

There's more information on the history of the Dykes Monograph, ten more fascinating scans, contact information, and most importantly bidding information on the AIS Iris Encyclopedia. Click on the following link: Dykes Monograph

We thank long time Aril Society International long-time Director, Francesa Thoolen for bequeathing this exquisite piece.

All proceeds will go to help the Aril Society International.