Description and varieties of dwarf irises

Botanical description

More common for our gardeners are rhizome types of irises. These are the flowers that in childhood we called cockerels and killer whales. However, bulbous irises are no longer exotic either. The most common of these is Dutch iris. The scientific name for this flower is Xiphium. Despite the fact that xyphyum belongs to the Iris family and belongs to the Iris genus, it is recognized as a separate representative of the genus. Sometimes, by the way, this causes confusion in the special literature.

Iris Dutch bulbous, planting and caring for which are described in this article, gives flower stalks of different heights. A dwarf species can give a peduncle 30 cm high. An ordinary xyphyum reaches a height of 80 cm.

The plant has narrow-grooved leaves, and the flower has a complex structure. The bud has 3 external and 3 internal perianth lobes. The internal lobes are located vertically and have a narrow and broad lanceolate shape. The outer lobes are rounded and directed towards the bottom.

Usually on the outer perianth lobes there is a yellow or orange spot in the center. The Dutch iris bud has several color options and leaf widths. Moreover, it can be one-color or two-color.

The following color of the petals is possible:

• White;
• yellow of varying intensity;
• different shades of blue and light blue;
• different shades of purple;
• lilac;
• combined options for all of the listed colors.

The difference is only in height

Dwarf bearded irises in height are limited to a maximum of 30-40 cm, although most often these crops will not exceed 20 cm. But despite such modest sizes, their flowers are no less bright and large. And their variety is no less than that of medium or tall irises. And even the tenderness of the petals, such a beloved "beard" and abundance of flowers will not enter their brothers. 2-3 flowers bloom on one peduncle, but the density of the bushes compensates for this with a large number of flower-bearing shoots.

The only difference is the height of the leaves and peduncles. This is a kind of miniature copy of ordinary bearded irises, while the "reduction" does not apply to flowers. But their endurance and unpretentiousness is much more pronounced. Small irises open up new, and sometimes unexpected, possibilities for decorating gardens.

Garden dwarf bearded irises are divided into two categories of varieties:

• Standard Dwarfs - Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB)
• Miniature Dwarf Bearded (MDB)

Key benefits of undersized varieties:

• they grow much faster and create spectacular bushes by the second year after planting;
• dwarf irises bloom more abundantly and two weeks earlier than medium and tall bearded irises;
• the foliage of miniature irises retains its beauty until the end of the season and is no less spectacular than the best decorative deciduous plants; sets architectural accents.

Iris dwarf 'Stitch Witch'. F. D. Richards

They were bred only a little more than a century ago on the basis of two natural types of irises - dwarf and squat. Thanks to breeding and crossing with beards, they acquired a flowering as spectacular as those of large bearded varieties, but retained their size, non-capriciousness and more attractive foliage. Conventionally, all miniature bearded irises are divided into miniature dwarf and standard dwarf. The latter produce peduncles 10 cm higher and several flowers more.

The best varieties of undersized bearded irises:

• very bright blue-violet variety "Adrian Taylor" with an unusual aroma;
• wine, with a unique shade of color "Lollipop";
• Ruby Contrast purple-red with a blue beard;
• melon-oil variety with warm apricot color and orange beard 'Tinkled Peach';
• ‘Pretty Cute’ with a pink-orange color and a play of peach tones;
• "Amsterdam" with a bright golden yellow color and brown spots;
• ‘Boo’ with snow-white upper petals and dark purple lower petals with white ruffles;
• ‘Chrystal Bright’, whose pure white color is highlighted with a bright yellow spot on the lower petals;
• lush and very unusual 'Serenity Prayer' with a play of snow-white and light yellow, dark purple spots, accentuated by the pointed shape of the lower petals;
• ‘Sun Doll’ variety, sunny yellow with orange buds.

Low-growing bearded irises can be used to decorate:

• flower beds, ridges and mixborders in the foreground;
• to decorate the lawn with flowering and architectural groups;
• in iridariums as the basis of compositions;
• borders and framing of paths and paths with temporary coverage;
• alpine slides and rockeries;
• potted gardens and containers.

Bulbous relatives of irises

Bulbous xyphyums are flowers very similar to irises. In the English, Dutch tradition, they are called so - bulbous irises.

The main difference is the presence of bulbs instead of rhizomes. Their leaves are narrower, grooved, rather like a daylily, the peduncles are thin and tall. The flowers are identical in structure to cockerels - they consist of 6 lobes, some species on fouls have a marigold bent upward, as can be seen in the photo below.

Bulbous xyphyums

In the southern regions, this flower is cultivated quite successfully, but in the north it does not take root, and even if it blooms in some years, then it withers and disappears.

Another flower that resembles either irises or daylily is the now fashionable alstroemeria.

In the photo - alstroemeria

It is a South American rhizome perennial growing up to 1 m. Flowers - six-petalled, variegated, multicolored. The plant is thermophilic, so it can be grown in the garden only in the south, in the middle lane - only in greenhouses.

Videos about the types and popular varieties of irises:

Growing conditions for bearded irises

Now it's time to find out how irises are grown in home gardens. For hybrid bearded irises, sunny places are selected, protected from strong winds. They can tolerate light partial shade from trees. Most varieties have very large flowers, for which gusts of wind and rain are especially dangerous. Therefore, during the period of mass flowering in windy, rainy weather, a garter of peduncles is required.

Another important condition for growing irises is the presence of light, loamy soil. If the soil on the site is heavy, it must be improved by adding sand and peat

Wood ash is introduced into acidic soils. Before planting, the site should be dug onto a shovel bayonet and all weeds should be carefully removed. Overripe manure is applied to a depth of 20-25 cm, without mixing it with the ground.

Irises are afraid of excessive moisture, so they grow best in areas with a low groundwater table. However, during the period of budding and flowering, they show an increased need for water. Good watering during this time helps prolong flowering and creates favorable conditions for pollination. Watering is best done in the evening.

The faded flowers of bearded irises are removed, and the peduncles at the end of flowering are broken out entirely. In late autumn, the leaves are shortened to 10 cm. Plants are covered with a small layer of mulch for the winter. Varieties that are not resistant to frost are covered more thoroughly.

In the spring, after the snow melts, they carefully stir up the packed winter shelter. It is completely removed in early or mid-April, depending on weather conditions.

Bearded irises, despite their southern origin, rather well in comparison with other perennials, tolerate spring frosts with temperatures dropping to -5 ... -7 ° С.

Diagram of how to properly plant and transplant irises

Like any other plant, today's specimen has its own characteristics and planting tricks.Species irises are propagated by seeds that sprout only after stratification, and varietal ones - exclusively by division. Irises are divided in spring or in August - September, but optimally - immediately, Iris forrestii - after flowering.

Before you start growing irises, prepare a place for them. To do this, a week before the intended planting, dig up a place on the bayonet of the shovel and fertilize the soil, if necessary.

Before planting irises in your garden, it is very important to correctly identify their variety and choose the appropriate place on your garden plot, find out what kind of care they need. And then proceed to the main stages of planting.

If you do not buy ready-made seedlings, but want to separate a part from the mother rhizome, or you are thinking how to properly transplant irises, follow this scheme:

• dig up the old bush:
• divide it into landing units (divisions), in which there should be at least 1, but not more than 3 links;
• treat the resulting sections with charcoal (wood) or weak potassium permanganate.

Here are some rules on how to properly plant irises:

• do not bury the seedling in the ground, the root part should be almost at ground level;
• make a hole in the ground and fill its bottom with earth, making a small mound, along the slopes of which the root boring system will be distributed;
• the first watering after planting should be abundant (the next watering as the soil dries up, but not earlier than three days later).

If we are talking about transplanting a young plant from one place to another, then, using the technique that is least traumatic for the plant - with a lump of earth, the procedure can be done in any warm season.

Remember that in rhizome varieties, the underground part is located almost on the surface of the earth. Therefore, planting in this way in the period after the first half of September may not give good rooting, which will lead to the death or disease of the plant. In bulbous varieties of irises, planting is less traumatic for the plant due to the specific structure of the root system, so this procedure can be carried out in later periods.

If you are planting several iris bushes at once, then further cultivation and care will be easier if you keep the distance between the seedlings. So, medium-sized plants should be planted at a distance of up to 40 cm from each other, but for low varieties the optimal distance is 20 cm.

Bulbous and rhizome varieties of irises: photo and description of flowers

Often, inexperienced gardeners cannot distinguish outwardly similar plants, but according to the type of root system, everything that is most often called "irises" is divided into two large genera: bulbous and rhizomatous. Each of them has its own characteristics of cultivation. Bulbous irises require care that is different from that of the rhizome. This is primarily due to the peculiarities of the underground part of the plant. Below are the main features of both classes.

1. Iris varieties that have a rhizome underground part are considered more photophilous, but many gardeners claim that in the southern regions of the country, such plants live well under the shade of trees. Their weaknesses are an overabundance of organic fertilizers and high soil moisture. If you want to see a beautiful color, then choose a non-acidic soil for planting, as in such soil the plant gives abundant greenery.
2. Bulbous irises you can see in the photo - some specimens of this plant like enough sun. The soil for them should be loose and fertile enough. Some varieties of bulbous irises can be well placed on alpine slides, as they are undemanding to the soil. Most of them require digging for the winter, and they do this before the heavy autumn rains, when the ground part begins to dry out.

With proper care of the plant, you can ensure its beautiful and full color.Look at the photo of iris flowers in the spring garden - their beauty is really mesmerizing:

Caring for miniature irises

These are unpretentious plants that do not require complex care. In the spring, they are fed before budding with potassium-phosphorus compounds. They will help plants to form large and beautiful buds. To stimulate flowering, you should use the following scheme:

• nitrogen-potash fertilizers are applied in early spring;
• after twenty days, phosphorus and nitrogen are added to the soil;
• when the plants bloom, they need mineral formulations.

During the season, it is necessary to cut off the wilted buds, and when the flowering is completed, the peduncles are completely removed. At the very end of the season, the irises are trimmed by cutting the leaves to 10 cm. About every four years the irises should be separated and planted. To do this, first cut the leaves at a level of seven centimeters from the soil surface, then dig up the roots and divide them into parts

It is important that at least one or two leaf rosettes remain on each fragment.

Bulbous irises

The difference between bulbous irises in the root system, the organ that stores nutrients - the bulb, which is also the organ of reproduction, consists of 3-7 fleshy scales that do not grow together with edges covered with membranous protective scales. The leaves of bulbous irises are lanceolate, grooved, tetrahedral (square on the cut), sometimes almost cylindrical. Peduncles are long, thin.

Iris Dutch Iris hollandica

English hybrids of bulbous irises are descended from Xiphium latifolium broadleaf, so many bulbs have numerous, filamentous roots that die off during the summer dormant period.

In addition to the external difference, bulbous irises differ from rhizome and cultivation characteristics. If rhizomes do not tolerate air humidity and dampness, love the sun, do not require digging after flowering, then bulbous, for the most part, grow well under light shading, after flowering they require drying the bulbs and storage in a cool dry place (care is almost like for lilies).

Iris care

Irises. Nursing and reproduction.

Rules for the care of garden irises

It is a warm and light-loving plant.

It is especially important to water irises regularly and relatively abundantly during the period of bud formation. The rest of the time, watering should be done only when the soil surface near the rhizome is very dry

If in the spring, before planting iris, you applied fertilizer to the soil, then during the entire season, as a rule, the plant will not need additional fertilizing. In the event that you still decide to apply fertilizers to the soil, then for this you should use potassium-phosphorus fertilizer in liquid form. It should be applied directly under the root during the period of intensive growth. It is forbidden to feed irises during the flowering period.

All season it will be necessary to remove weeds in a timely manner. You will have to get rid of the weeds manually. The fact is that the root system is located horizontally and very close to the soil surface. In this regard, when weeding with a hoe, you can accidentally damage it. Although rare, loosening of the soil should be done

This procedure must be carried out with extreme caution, trying not to damage the roots. Experienced gardeners are advised to remove wilted flowers, as they can cause pests to settle on the plant

Pests and diseases

The most spectacular and variegated varieties are most susceptible to various pests and diseases. In order to protect irises from diseases, it is imperative to adhere to all the rules of agricultural technology of the species. Also, be sure to observe how the plants are doing throughout the season. As soon as you notice that something is wrong with the irises, you should take appropriate action. When a bush is infected with fusarium or other rot, you need to act very quickly. The infected plant must be dug up and destroyed.For prophylactic purposes, other bushes must be watered under the root and along the roots with a solution of foundation, which should be two percent. It is also recommended to treat the rhizomes with this tool before planting them in the soil. In this case, the risk of rot will be much lower. A solution of Bordeaux mixture (1%), which should be sprayed on foliage, can protect plants from a variety of spots.

Often, scoops settle on plants. They eat the base of the peduncles. After that, the peduncles turn yellow and dry out. Preventive measures should be taken at the very beginning of the growing season. To do this, you need to treat the plants 2 times with a solution of karbofos (10%), while an interval of 7 days should be made between treatments. Gladiolus thrips can also settle. They lead to a violation of photosynthesis in the foliage, because of which it becomes brown and dies off. If the plant is infested with thrips, the buds will be ugly and discolored. Thrips thrive best during the dry summer period. Such insects can be fought in the same way as with scoops with the help of karbofos; an infusion made from 400 g of makhorka, which should be kept for one and a half weeks, is also highly effective. Also, 40 g, crushed with a grater, laundry soap is added to it. Slugs can harm such plants. To get rid of them, it is necessary to put fresh burdock leaves or moistened rags in the aisles. When the slugs hide under them, you just have to collect them together with rags and destroy. If there are a lot of slugs, then in sunny weather, in the early morning or in the evening, metaldehyde, released in granules, should be distributed over the area, simply by scattering it. In this case, from 30 to 40 g of the substance should go per 1 square meter.

Description and varieties

Let's take the Iris Hollandica as a basis.

To begin with, let's move away from the topic and mention that thermophilic irises have three main varieties:

1. Juno. They are characterized as heat-loving plants. Basically, they are grown as annuals.
2. Iridodictiums (they are also called reticulated, for example, Iris Goldlandic Ash Jam). The most unpretentious and undemanding. They bloom immediately after the snow melts.
3. Xyphyums. This variety, in turn, has its own categories: Spanish, American and Dutch. This variety is the most common in our area, so they are the subject of discussion. Lovers grow them as annuals or indoor flowers. You can determine the belonging to the species by the presence of thick scales on the bulbs, which, after flowering, should be dug up, dried and sent to a cold place for the winter.

Iris Dutch is a xyphyum, and belongs to the hybrid varieties of the Dutch category, bred in the country of the same name. In flower shops, they are sold in the form of bulbs covered with multiple layers of scales. In adult form, the plant height is on average 0.6 m, but it all depends on the variety. For example, the iris of the Dutch Blue Diamond, Casablanca, Blue Magic and others varies in height within the range of 0.45-0.7 m.

The plant itself is winter-hardy. Nevertheless, in severe frosts, they need to be covered with something in order to prevent freezing. Irises are widely used. They not only decorate flower beds and flower beds, but are also grown under the cut to create bouquets and flower arrangements.

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The Dutch iris bloom (photo below) begins in the last week of May and lasts until early June. As for the range of shades of buds, they can be very diverse, ranging from white and blue to orange and purple. After flowering, the plant begins to dry out the foliage, and by the end of August it dries up completely.