Iris comes from the ancient goddess of the rainbow, and breeders of the iris bulb have developed many more shades of colors since the 1840’s, after they started to create hybrid irises in France.
Among the gardeners, there are many that are iris loves, and when you see a bed in full bloom or the bottom of this page you will understand more of their passion for the iris plant. The likeness of this flower, we think comes from the great many colors that the flower produces.
There are more than 200 iris species, some of which rhizomes and others from bulbs. The irises that flowers in the spring are grown from bulbs. Most bulbs formed irises enjoy a sunny location with soil that is warm and dry during the summer, so the bulbs in the ground can ripen before winter.
Some gardeners will tell you the worst pests of an iris garden are dogs, cats and kids. This is because, when an iris gets to full height, and the flower blooms, this creates a top-heavy plant. And if the stem gets shocked bad enough, it will create a bending point in the stem and the iris will not be able to recoup from this injury. Nature’s most troublesome pest is the iris borer. This insect will attack the rhizomes, creating a sickly looking plant. What you need to do is dig up one of the iris bulbs and inspected it. If the roots are infected, you’re going to need to soak the bulb including the root system in a water-soluble insecticide for 2 to 3 weeks. There are several other insects through out the world that will feed on the iris. But can be controlled with insecticides.
Many of iris gardeners wish that their irises would bloom longer. They were given that wish when cultivators created a bulb that blooms late spring/early summer and then again in late summer/ early fall. The second bloom is a bit sparser than the earlier one. But, now you can enjoy your iris well into the fall. Since the hybridizing took place in the warmer areas, the reblooming irises are hardy and will only regrow in zones 5 to warmer. These irises haven’t done very good in the regions near the Gulf of Mexico. There are gardeners that claim they have grown well in Zone 4, with good winter mulch.
