Iris delavayi |
Origin: China
Zone Range: 7-9
Preferred Situation: Full to semi sun; well draining moisture retentive soil.
Harvest Date: Saturday 08 September, 2007
Description:
A hard to find sino-siberian iris. Exotic looking mid May blooms of rich colours with lovely markings held on a stately 1 meter tall stems above lovely pointed strap like green leaves. Will form clumps most if not all iris do. Needs moisture during Spring for proper blooming. Flowers have a faint sweet scent and tend to be smaller in size than Iris siberica/sanguinea
Notes:
Drought tolerant when established. Populations vary in bloom colour depending on isolation, but in no way can they be mistaken for a Iris siberica. To me the blooms look like a cross between Iris pseudoacorus and Iris ensata...but their prefered habitat is similar to Iris chryographes.
Cultivation:
The Ontario Rock Garden Society suggests to daily rinse the seeds for 4 weeks while cold stratifying then expose to 20 C to germinate. I had these germinate as early as 3 weeks after a 48 hour soak, placed in a baggie of damp peat that is placedon gentle bottom heat (20C). Prick out the seedlings and transplant accordingly into prepared pots and the baggie is returned to 20C for continued treatment. Seedlings were still sprouting weeks after in the baggie...so you can say germination can be prolonged...but this beauty is well worth the effort.
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