Iris flower

Iris culture (Iris) is also called "cockerel" or "iris". This perennial from the genus rhizome is included in the family Iris or Iris (Iridaceae). These plants are found almost everywhere. This genus includes about seven hundred different varieties. The name "iris" in translation means "rainbow". The name of the culture was given by Hippocrates himself after the name of the goddess of the rainbow Iris. The legend says that when Prometheus gave fire to people, a rainbow shone - nature rejoiced. The radiance continued all day and night, after the sun illuminated the earth, people were amazed when they saw plants of unusual beauty, which were called irises. They strongly resembled a rainbow. Florence (meaning “blooming”) was named so by the Romans because a large number of irises grew in the fields that were located near the city. This beautiful flower has been cultivated for about two thousand years. It will perfectly decorate any garden plot, in addition, valuable raw materials are extracted from the culture, and essences for perfumery are made from it.

Iris flower: description and characteristics

Iris flower photo

The Iris flower has a rhizome, roots grow on it, which are presented in the form of a cord or thread. Annual peduncles, as a rule, are several or even in the amount of one piece. The flattened thin leaves in two rows look like a sword, in rare cases you can find a linear shape. Their surface is covered with a thin waxy layer. The leaves are collected at the base of the peduncle in a fan-shaped bunch, and there are almost no leaves on the stems. Usually flowers grow singly, but small inflorescences can also be found. The flowers are fragrant and large in size, they stand out with a very original shape and unusual color. The coloring can be of various colors, and the colors can also be very beautifully combined. The flower contains six petals, which are perianth segments. The outer lobules, there are three of them, are slightly inverted to the bottom and differ from the upper lobules in color. The upper lobules grow together and look like a tube. Iris blooms for a long time - from May to July days. Two or three flowers bloom at one time, they retain their decorative effect for one to five days. The fruit is a box with three nests.

Iris flower: varieties and varieties of culture

Bearded irises.

By the type of flower, rhizome irises are divided into beardless and bearded. Bearded ones are so named because they have shaggy hairs on the surface of the petals. They have their own classification (medium height, standard medium height, medium height binders, tall, curb, small-flowered medium height, miniature dwarfs, standard dwarfs, arylbreds, dining rooms, arylbreds and aryls, non-aryl-like arylbreds). But this classification is used only by breeders and scientists, and ordinary gardeners know such vegetation as bearded irises of various sizes.

• Iris "German".

German

The tall, bearded iris is also referred to as "Germanic". This variety has more than a hundred of the most diverse varietal forms, it is the most popular in comparison with all other bearded irises. The most popular are the following varietal forms:Baltic Sea»- a strongly corrugated plant with a rich blue color of flowers and a blue beard; "Bewilderbest»- corrugated flowers have a burgundy-reddish-cream color, on the surface they have strokes and stripes of whitish and yellow colors; "Acoma»- sky blue color is presented in combination with ivory color, in addition, there is a lavender color border. The variety is very popular with Americans.

Light-bearded irises.

Varieties of this type of irises: Japanese, spuria, Californian, Siberian, Louisiana, marsh and other types of irises (interspecific and specific). The most popular varieties in the middle lane are presented below.

• Iris "Siberian".

Coloring can be varied in its range of shades - from dark purple to blue. But in our time there are about one thousand different varietal forms, which are painted in a wide variety of shades. For example, the white "Snow Queen"; "Betts & Suga" is painted in yellow with a whitish border; bush "Imperial Opal”Grows up to eighty cm high, and lavender-pink flowers reach about ten cm in diameter. The flowers are very decorative, but they have no scent.

• Iris "Japanese" (Kempflera, xiphoid).

The flowers resemble an orchid, they are very large (they reach twenty-five cm in diameter), they have no smell. In the course of breeding in Japan, the emergence of terry (the second name is hana-shobu) and the Japanese iris, which has many petals, appeared. However, these varieties are not resistant to frosty times. For the middle lane, it is better to take: "Nessa—No.—Mai"- purple flowers in diameter can be twenty-three cm; "Solveig" - color of flowers is pale lilac; "Vasily Alferov" - flowers are simple, inky colors.

• Iris "Spuria".

A very graceful flower, reminiscent of the bulbous iris "Xiphium", but it is distinguished by its large size. Drought-resistant and frost-resistant. The most decorative varietal forms: “Lemon Touch»- flowers with laces of lemon-yellow color have a signal of dark gold color, the bush grows up to one meter high; "Transfiguration"- the bush can grow up to one meter high, the color of the flowers is from blue-violet to dark-violet, the color of the signal is bronze; "Stella Irene"- the bush grows up to ninety cm high, flowers of black-purple color have a small signal of golden color.

• Iris "Swamp" (pseudoair).

Swamp

This variety, in comparison with others, likes to grow only in moist soil. The coloring of flowers can be of different tones of yellow, and the plant is often used to decorate artificial reservoirs. The most popular varietal forms:Golden Queen"- yellow flowers; "Flore Pleno»- terry flowers; "Umkirch»- pink coloration.

By coloring flowers, varietal forms are divided into:

1. varieties of the same color - all slices of the same color;
2. two tones - the slices, which are located below and above, have different tones of the same color;
3. two colors - the coloring of the lower and upper lobules is different;
4. variegata - the upper part of the lobes is yellow, the lower part is reddish-brown;
5. amena - the lobes located on top are painted in white;
6. bordered or plikata - there is a border of contrasting color either on all lobules, or exclusively on those below;
7. iridescent - colors smoothly pass from one tone to another.

Iris flower - cultivation

A large number of gardeners with no experience think that cultivating irises is very difficult. But this is an erroneous assumption. For the normal growth and development of this culture, you should remember how to properly care for it, and then everything will work out.

The growth of the rhizome occurs horizontally, and part of it is exposed, because the root crawls out onto the surface soil layer.Before the winter season, the iris is covered with peat or earth to protect it from freezing. In the spring, the mulch layer is carefully removed.

A characteristic feature of this culture is that the irises can be displaced. During the period, they can move to the side for a couple of cm. In this regard, the plants are planted so that the leaves are fan-shaped along the row. Then the rows will be smoother.

A bearded iris is planted in the sand. Sand should be poured into the finished hole at the bottom in the form of a mound, and the roots should be spread along the hill. Keep in mind that with a strong deepening of the plant, its death or lack of flowering may occur.

Iris flower: planting

Japanese Iris flower photo

• Optimal time and site for planting.

Most gardeners believe that immediately after the iris has finished blooming, it is dug up, divided and planted in a new area. Otherwise, it will not take root until the winter comes. But, if your region has a long and rather warm autumn season, then the plants can not be transplanted right away, do not rush to do this. This vegetation can be replanted from spring to autumn, but after the end of the flowering stage. Do not forget that the culture is transplanted once every three to four years. But Siberian iris can grow in the same area for about ten years. If you do not transplant an overgrown flower, then its flowering will end.

Bearded irises are planted in a well-sunlit area, protected from through winds, located on an elevated place or slope, because it is very important that the area is well-drained, and also that melt water flows down. Boarding takes place from morning until lunchtime. Siberian and bog iris are planted in areas with moist soil. Without exception, irises need fertile soil. To fix the depleted soil, before planting in the spring, compost fertilizer or garden fatty soil, as well as phosphorus and potassium, are introduced into it. Chalk, dolomite flour or wood ash are added to the acidic soil. Sand and peat are introduced into loamy soil, and clay soil is introduced into sandy soil. Before planting plants, the soil is disinfected. For this purpose, the soil is watered with a fungicidal agent, in addition, the land is treated with herbicidal preparations against weeds. No manure is introduced into the soil.

• Planting plants in the spring season.

The planting material purchased in the store and the one that was stored all winter is treated with a growth stimulating drug, for example, "Zircon" or "Eco-gel". If the roots are elongated, then they are pruned, the rotten areas are carefully cut out. The roots are dipped in a potassium permanganate solution for twenty minutes to disinfect. Next, a small hole is dug, sand is poured into it in a slide. The rhizome of the iris of the bearded variety is laid in such a way that it is located in a horizontal plane. The roots are straightened, the hole is sprinkled so that only the top of the rhizome is above the surface soil layer. Further, abundant watering of the plant is carried out. If the entire root is underground, then rot will appear because of this. Beardless varieties, on the contrary, are buried in the soil two to three cm. Then mulching is done over the ground, you can mulch it with peat or fallen needles to preserve moisture. The pits are located from each other with an interval of at least fifty cm.

• Planting irises in the autumn season.

Planting irises in autumn is almost the same as in spring. Planting is carried out in the last summer days, when the plants have finished blooming. Usually, the transplant is carried out from August days to the end of September, but keep in mind that if you transplant irises earlier, they will take root and get stronger faster and better. The bush is dug out with a pitchfork, then it is divided into annual parts with leaves.Roots in the form of laces are carefully shortened, damaged or decaying areas are removed. Further, the separated parts are placed in a solution of potassium permanganate of dark pink color for two hours to be disinfected. After which they are laid out in the sun for four to five hours. Plants are planted similarly to spring planting. Between the holes of tall varieties, the interval is about fifty cm, between the average height - twenty cm, between the low height - fifteen cm.

Iris flower: care

Siberian iris flower

• How to properly care for your garden iris.

Iris flower loves light and warmth. Regular watering is very important and especially abundant when buds are formed. At other times, watering is carried out when there is a strong drying of the surface layer of the soil next to the rhizome.

If in the spring before planting the plant you fertilized the soil, then the entire iris period does not need to be fed. In that situation, if it is nevertheless decided to fertilize the soil, then liquid potassium and phosphorus are used for this purpose. Fertilization is applied by the root method when the flower is actively growing. Top dressing when the plants are blooming is not carried out.

During the entire period, timely weed removal is necessary. You will have to fight the weeds with your hands. This is because the root system is located in a horizontal plane, in addition, it is superficial. Therefore, if you weed with a hoe, you can accidentally cause damage. In rare cases, but it is necessary to loosen the earth. This manipulation is done very carefully so as not to harm the roots. Experienced gardeners recommend removing wilted flowers, because they can attack the iris by harmful insects.

Diseases and pests of the flower

Most of all, the most decorative and succulent varieties are exposed to various harmful insects and diseases. To protect flowers from diseases, it is imperative to follow all agrotechnical rules. In addition, it is imperative to monitor the health of the vegetation throughout the entire period. If problems are found, take the necessary action immediately. If the flower is infected with fusarium or other rot, then act immediately. The infected bush is dug up and destroyed. The rest of the plants, for the purpose of prophylaxis, must be watered under the root and along the roots with a 2% solution of the drug "Fundazol". This preparation is used to treat the rhizome before planting in the ground. Then the likelihood that rot will appear will be low. The protection of the bush from different types of spotting will be by spraying the leaves with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Iris can often be attacked by scoops. They eat peduncles at the base. After that, the peduncles turn yellow and dry. Prevention is carried out at the beginning of the growing season. For this purpose, irises are treated with a 10% solution of the drug "Karbofos", it is carried out every seven days twice. These beautiful flowers can also be attacked by gladiolus thrips. They disrupt the photosynthesis of leaves, because of this, they turn brown and die. When iris is infested with thrips, the buds become very ugly and colorless. Thrips are most comfortable in summer in heat and drought. These pests are fought as well as scoops with the help of the Karbofos preparation; in addition, an infusion made from four hundred grams of shag, aged for 1.5 weeks, is highly effective. Forty grams of laundry soap is added to it, which is grinded in advance on a grater. Slugs can harm irises. To get rid of them, you need to put fresh burdock leaves or damp rags between the rows. The slugs will hide under them, and you will collect and destroy them. If slugs are numerous, then early in the morning, when the sun is shining, or in the evening, spread granular metaldehyde over the area, just scatter it. One square requires thirty to forty grams of the drug.

Plant after flowering period

In that situation, if there are no seedlings in the current season, then the flower stalks are removed after the iris finishes flowering. If the leaves begin to turn yellow, then it is advisable to trim them, make the ends in the form of a semicircle. Plants will continue to decorate the garden area and will successfully collect the necessary nutrients and strengths until the winter season. If it is warm in autumn, then the irises can bloom again, this happens often. After the leaves are swollen, they are cut off, you need to leave only ten to fifteen cm. The cut parts are destroyed (burned), because their surface can have organisms that cause diseases, as well as pest larvae.

Before the winter season, bare rhizomes are covered with earth and mulched with a thickened layer (eight to ten cm), peat or sand. If a strong decrease in temperature conditions is predicted in the autumn or winter period, then the plants are sheltered with the help of spruce branches or dry foliage. If the winter season is snowy, then no shelter is needed.

How to store an iris flower

The rhizomes of bearded irises that have been dug or bought can be stored from autumn until spring arrives, they are placed in a dry room with cool temperature conditions. The rhizomes dry well and fit into a cardboard box, then it is tightly closed. The box is placed on a loggia or balcony. Each rhizome is wrapped in a woven material or paper sheet, in addition, you can fill them in a box with peat or sawdust in a dry form.

Other irises like to be in a humid place, so to preserve them, they are planted in a flowerpot. Before planting, elongated roots are removed, the rhizome is lowered and kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect. Then it is dried. The rhizome is not buried, only slightly covered with earth. In the spring, the sprouted rhizome is pulled out with an earthen clod and planted in open conditions.