Table of Contents

GROWING IRIS

CLASSIFICATION  OF  IRIS

There are two types of Iris bulb: Rhizome classified under Rhizomatous Iris and True bulb classified under Bulbous Iris.

RHIZOMATOUS IRIS – Irises whose bulb is a Rhizomes, not a true bulb; it has flat, sword-like, leaves or foliage that overlap each other to form a fan shaped foliage. It may either have the showy bearded flowers or beardless flowers:

Tall bearded iris – Tall bearded iris has large, wide-petal blooms on branching stems that are two and a half to four foot tall. There are re-blooming or remontant type or variety of this iris that will bloom again during summer, autumn or winter.

Medium & dwarf iris – This medium iris has flowers that are similar to the tall bearded iris except that its size is smaller in proportion to the tall bearded iris. The medium and dwarf iris has four basic types: Border bearded iris – this iris is approximately half the size of the tall bearded iris, its stems are around 15 to 28 inches high. Miniature tall bearded iris –Though its stem is the same height as the border bearded iris, its stem is pencil-thin-like with tiny flowers of 2 to 3 inches width, it has more stems per clump, limited colors, and same bloom time as the tall bearded iris.  Standard dwarf bearded iris – They are basically crossed between tall bearded iris varieties and miniature dwarf varieties, its flowers are around 2 to 3 inches in width. Intermediate bearded iris – They are basically crossed between tall bearded varieties and standard dwarf varieties, its flowers are around 3 to 5 inches in width. Miniature dwarf bearded iris – True to its name; it is the shortest of all the irises on earth, it is around 2 to 10 inches in height. Well established plants can produce a rich volume of blooms. 

Exotic aril & aribred iris – The aril’s name comes from the collar-like white cap or aril on their seeds. Three popular groups of  aril from Central and East Asia are Oncocyclus – This oncocyclus has large 4 to 7 inch in width flowers, available flower color consist of gold, silver, lavender, maroon and gray. Stems are around 1 foot in height. Regelias -  This has smaller blooms than oncocyclus, stem size is 1.5 to 2.5 feet in height. Oncogelias – this is a hybrid of the two previous species.

Beardless iris – The flower of beardless iris has no beard on the falls, the roots are more fibrous than fleshy. Japanese iris. Louisiana iris. Siberian iris. Spuria iris.

BULBOUS IRIS – Iris whose bulb are more bulb-like than rhizome-like, its leaves are fan like, grasser and rounder in cross section.

Dutch iris – Hybrids that are developed by the Dutch from several Mediterranean species. They are hardy to –10 degree F/ -23 degree C

Spanish iris –  This species is native to Spain. It is similar in appearance to the Dutch iris except that it is shorter, slimmer and has smaller flowers and blooms 2 weeks later than the Dutch iris.

English iris – Derived from I. Xiphoioides sometimes called I. Latifolia, it was first grown as an ornamental plant in England. Flower stems reach 1.5 feet tall with two velvet-textured bloomsof maroon, blue-purple, blue or mauve. Flowers look like Dutch irises though a bit larger with broader falls.