Iris sanguinea |
Native Region: China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia.
Zone Range: 4-9
Preferred Climate: Full to semi sun; damp sites.
Harvest Date: Tuesday 21 September, 2010
Seed count: 15-20
Description:
Lovely graceful blue flowers held on tall strong stems start blooming in May. Once established it makes a large clump of refined grass like leaves that stay green all summer with multiple flowers on each stem. Visited by bumble bees and hummingbirds.
Notes:
A very close cousin of Iris siberica. Botanists continue to argue the subtle differences that lays in the reddish papery sheath that envelopes the closed flower buds and branching form. I'll let them battle out the nomenclature while I enjoy my living Van Gogh. Tolerates summer drought quite well. Needs spring moisture to produce a massive flowering display. Can be used as a cut flower.
Cultivation:
With a small quantity of coarse sand, add seed and gently rub between your hands. Don't get too vigorous as you only want to scarify the seed coat. You may need a catch plate. Soak seed 24-48 hours. Seed should swell. In moist peat in a resealable plastic baggie, place seed to warm stratify at 20 C for 6 weeks. When 6 weeks is over, place baggie in fridge for cold stratificatin at 4 C for 6 weeks. Mark you calender. I dump and evenly spread the entire baggie contents on a prepared nursery pot filled with well draining moisture retaining medium. Place in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Never let seed freeze or dry out at this stage. Should germinate in 6 weeks. Vigorous. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when small. Transplant out when 15 cm tall.
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